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Sorting for Circularity India: Post-Consumer Pilot

Sorting for Circularity India: Post-Consumer Pilot

India generates around 3,944k tonnes of post-consumer textile waste annually, with 48% viable for recycling feedstock, though inadequate sorting and recycling systems prevent full utilisation. This project involved two primary pilots that tested sorting innovations: Matoha’s FabriTell desktop scanner for semi-automated sorting and PICVISA’s ECOSORT for fully automated sorting. The pilots aimed to assess these technologies’ ability to categorise waste by fibre and colour efficiently, ultimately facilitating quality feedstock production for recycling. Initial findings suggest India could effectively harness a closed-loop textile recycling system, with cotton and polyester blends as dominant waste types.

Problem Statement

India’s substantial post-consumer textile waste remains largely untapped for recycling due to fragmented collection and sorting systems. Only through improved waste categorisation and sorting infrastructure can this waste serve as high-quality recycling feedstock, supporting a sustainable, circular textile industry.

Executive Summary

India generates around 3,944k tonnes of post-consumer textile waste annually, with 48% viable for recycling feedstock, though inadequate sorting and recycling systems prevent full utilisation. This project involved two primary pilots that tested sorting innovations: Matoha’s FabriTell desktop scanner for semi-automated sorting and PICVISA’s ECOSORT for fully automated sorting. The pilots aimed to assess these technologies’ ability to categorise waste by fibre and colour efficiently, ultimately facilitating quality feedstock production for recycling. Initial findings suggest India could effectively harness a closed-loop textile recycling system, with cotton and polyester blends as dominant waste types.

Goals of the Project

  • Evaluate the current textile waste ecosystem in India, specifically identifying textile composition and recycling potential.

  • Demonstrate scalable, cost-effective solutions that can enhance the circular textile economy through traceable waste streams and optimised infrastructure for collection, sorting, and recycling.

Timeline

  • Q4 2022

    Project kick off

  • Q1 2023

    In person training with the sorter handbook, finalised scope and roles

  • Q2 2023

    Conducted semi-automated sorting with four sorters; sorted 33 tonnes of waste, categorised materials with FabriTell/Matoha scanners, and manually logged data with its application

  • Q3 2023

    Reviewed pilot data, adjusted protocols, and introduced the Reverse Resources platform

  • Q4 2023

    Tested automated sorting at PICVISA in Spain; assessed accuracy in identifying fibre, colour, and type, comparing results with Matoha.

  • Q4 2023

    Project Close

Project Results

  • Analysis showed that India’s textile waste composition is primarily cotton (43%) and polyester blends (27%), underscoring high recycling potential

  • The Matoha pilot revealed around 10% of collected materials were rewearable, while the PICVISA pilot demonstrated higher sorting throughput, suitable for large-scale recycling.

  • The pilots underscored the need for additional infrastructure and consistency in sorting processes, paving the way for further developments in domestic collection and processing capabilities.

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Project Partners

Innovators

Implementation Partners

Relevant Resources

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