Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) and Verdex Technologies, a US-based company that specialises in mass production of nanofibres, have collaboratively developed a new recyling technology.
This new technology will generate nanofibres from the used PET carpet and bottles that can be converted into performance apparel products.
The patented spinning nozzle technology uses PCC (post consumer carpet) material to make nano/micro fibres which when blended with large fibres generate apparel and textile products.
The technology has a huge potential in the market as it can generate nanofibres with much stronger Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate (MVTR) than its competing products in the market.
So, what makes it unique! It can spin recycled cleaned PET carpets containing polypropylene and calcium carbonate components.
Apart from delivering high performance apparel products, the technology is a sustainable option for reducing these carpets and bottles being dumped in the landfill each year.
Of those sent to landfills every year, only 10 per cent of the carpets and bottles are recycled and this waste represents 2 per cent by weight of American landfill waste, totalling almost 4 billion pounds each year.
Stating about the technology, Damien Deehan, co-CEO, Verdex Technologies, said “Verdex recycling technology can help alleviate the major problem by taking post-consumer carpets and bottles, and turning these into high-value nanofibre media for our consumers to enhance existing products or create whole new product line.”
He then added “We want to make real impact in contributing to the circular economy. Verdex recycling technology offers its customers a unique opportunity to adopt a recycling element into their finished products, making it good for the environment, our customer and the end user.”
The technology for spinning nanofibres uses only low pressure air and no solvents, thus offering nonwoven manufacturers with the opportunity to introduce many functional enhancements to their product offerings containing nanofibres.
Furthermore, the process can spin nanofibres using polymers such as PCL, PLA, PP, PET, PBT, Nylon 66 and possible others if melt viscosity is low. It delivers the fibres in a single-step process, which can also incorporate functional particles such as super absorbent powder and activated carbon.
