As the global economy shifts towards sustainable development, the utilization of waste textiles is gaining significant attention. Statistics reveal that the worldwide recovery of waste textiles reached 21.65 million tons in 2021, marking a 6.13% increase from the previous year.

Similarly, the utilization of these textiles has been on a consistent rise, growing from 2.852 million tons in 2016 to 4.565 million tons in 2021, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 9.86%. 

According to the data, the global textile recycling market reached $5.76 billion in 2023, with expectations to expand to $8.49 billion by 2032, signifying a compound annual growth rate of 4.3% during this period. In the same year, the global fiber production amounted to 124 million tons, with China's textile fiber production accounting for 50% of the total.

These metrics underscore a sustained upward trajectory in both the scale and economic value of waste textile recovery and utilization.

Global Trend: Emphasis on the Resource Utilization of Waste Textiles

With growing societal awareness regarding environmental conservation, the recycling and repurposing of waste textiles have emerged as significant global trends. This shift not only highlights the increasing market demand but also underscores the critical need for resource circulation. By recycling waste textiles, we can substantially alleviate resource shortages, cut down on carbon dioxide emissions, and preserve land resources.

Studies reveal that for every kilogram of waste textiles recycled and utilized, about 3.6 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions can be avoided, alongside a savings of 6,000 liters of water, a reduction of 0.3 kilograms of fertilizer, and a decrease of 0.2 kilograms of pesticide. This underscores the importance of waste textile recycling in enhancing resource efficiency and safeguarding the environment.

Challenges in Recycling and Utilization

Despite the positive trend in resource utilization of waste textiles, the industry encounters several practical challenges:

Incomplete Recycling Systems: Although many nations have implemented recycling systems for waste textiles, the overall recovery rate remains disappointingly low. Reports reveal that about 95% of old clothing is recyclable, yet only 12% to 15% is actually recycled. In numerous developing countries, the absence of effective recycling infrastructure results in a large volume of textile waste being disposed of in landfills or incinerated.

Insufficient Consumer Awareness: Even as environmental consciousness gradually rises, many consumers still neglect the recycling and reuse of waste textiles. This lack of attention leads to inadequate collection and use of recyclable materials.

Complex Industrial Production: Waste textiles often comprise various materials, and the combination of natural and synthetic fibers complicates recycling and reuse. This complexity affects processing techniques, which in turn impacts the quality and economic feasibility of the end products.

Secondary Pollution Issues: Waste textiles may harbor harmful substances, including heavy metals and dyes. Without proper treatment, these components can contribute to secondary pollution, escalating the technical challenges associated with recycling and utilization.

Research in environmental science and pollution indicates that managing old textiles poses significant challenges. While recycling is possible, the environmental impact is considerable, and the resulting product quality is typically low. Studies highlight that old textiles can be processed to create solid recovered fuel (SRF) that complies with the ISO 21640:2021 standard. Natural and man-made cellulose fibers are deemed suitable for SRF production, while synthetic fibers are less favorable due to their higher emission factors.

Alternative Fuel Solutions

Among the various waste management strategies, the energy recovery of discarded textiles, particularly their conversion into solid recovered fuel (SRF) and refuse-derived fuel (RDF), demonstrates significant potential. The production of these fuels supports both waste utilization and energy generation.

Conversion Process: Waste textiles can be transformed into high calorific value fuels via crushing and post-processing techniques. This process involves sorting the waste and cutting it into specific energy values and particle sizes to accommodate different combustion technologies. Such an approach not only guarantees the environmental sustainability of the final product but also paves the way for innovative clean energy applications.

Effective Replacement of Traditional Energy: As a renewable energy option, SRF and RDF can substitute conventional fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, and coal, and are suitable for use in cement and thermal power plants. These alternative fuels help reduce dependency on finite natural resources and aid in decreasing carbon emissions, which supports the achievement of emission reduction goals.

Promoting Resource Circulation: The conversion of waste textiles into SRF and RDF enhances the reintegration of waste within the energy production cycle, facilitating more thorough resource recycling. This process not only alleviates environmental pressures but also creates new economic opportunities for businesses, fostering greater commercial possibilities.

Implementation of Solutions

In this light, Harden's extensive waste textile resource utilization solutions have demonstrated significant effectiveness in RDF/SRF production technologies. These solid waste resource management systems focus on high calorific industrial waste, such as waste fabrics, plastics, and leather scraps, utilizing a dual-shaft and single-shaft two-stage crushing method. 

This technique proficiently processes complex materials while ensuring that 95% of the output meets the specified particle size, which streamlines the production of subsequent RDF forming materials and satisfies market demand for SRF bulk materials.

After thorough processing, waste textiles and other solid waste can be efficiently transformed into RDF alternative fuel, sized between 30mm and 80mm. This alternative fuel offers a high calorific value with low carbon emissions and can directly substitute coal and other fossil fuels employed in thermal power plants and cement facilities, thus providing substantial assistance in achieving carbon reduction objectives.

In the effort to advance a circular economy and resource utilization on a global scale, effectively tapping into the potential of waste textile resource utilization necessitates collaborative action from both industry stakeholders and external partners. Harden is dedicated to working alongside a variety of partners and the industrial chain to investigate and enhance technologies for recycling and reusing waste textiles, fostering the realization of low-carbon and circular economies.