Possibility of Recycling Textile Residues Into Paper-Based Products

Abstract

Despite the growing social trend of sustainability in the textile and modern industry worldwide, there is an urgent need to reduce the amount of waste generated by the global fashion industry. Numerous initiatives are being taken in Europe to address the sustainability of the fashion industry. And the textile industry is defined as a priority sector in which the EU can open the way for a carbon-neutral, circular economy. These key challenges could be addressed by making cellulose fibers from materials derived from textile waste. These fibers are biodegradable and therefore they are considered more environmentally sustainable than synthetic fibers. Also, textiles and clothing made from these fibers can be used as raw materials in recycling processes at the end of their life cycle, thus contributing to the development of the circular economy. New approaches to textile waste recycling are constantly evolving. Textile waste in the form of cotton fabrics proves to be a sustainable source of cellulose for paper production or as a material for the adsorption of toxic compounds. The aim of this paper is to explore the possibility of using textile waste as a raw material in the paper and packaging industry in order to support the circular economy.