Tackling critical challenges in textile circularity: A review on strategies for recycling cellulose and polyester from blended fabrics

One of the main barriers towards closing the loop in the textile industry is the lack of know-how and capabilities to separate fibers of different types from mixed blends. In particular, interwoven blends of polyester and cotton, which are generally referred to as polycotton, represent one of the most prominent blends in the market. As such, the development of sustainable textile recycling technologies that can effectively process complex blended textile wastes such as polycotton would expand the types of textile wastes that can be reprocessed, thus reducing the amount of wastes that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated. This leads to enhanced textile circularity within the economy. This review presents the fundamental concepts and recent developments in textile recycling with a particular focus on technologies that are capable of separating polycotton blends. To facilitate an in-depth understanding of each technology, an analysis of their technical feasibilities as well as their strengths and limitations are also presented. Finally, recommendations and perspectives are given on how to coherently align all future actions on developing technically superior and economically viable textile recycling technologies with the principles of sustainability to ensure a total green transformation of the textile industry.