A new European Union (EU) funded initiative is underway to try to find ways to recycle multi-layer coated and painted textile and plastic materials, including functional and performance fabrics used in outdoor gear.
The main goal of the ‘Decoat’ project is to enable the circular use of textiles with complex multilayer coatings designed to provide multi-functionality in a single solution – but which cannot currently be recycled because of their hybrid nature.
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It will do this by developing a range of novel smart polymer material systems that can be “de-bonded” on demand when activated by a specific trigger – such as heat, humidity, microwaves or chemicals – to allow recycling. The initial focus is on recycling of the bulk material, but re-use of the coatings materials themselves will also be tackled.
The project consortium, led by Belgian R&D centre Centexbel, consists of 17 European partners from across the value chain including design, manufacturing, NGOs, and research and innovation, including Devan Chemicals and outdoor clothing company Vaude.
It aims to support ambitious plastic recycling targets of 50%, which have been set by the European plastics industry, and has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.
Devan Chemicals says its specific role is to develop microcapsules that will release their active core when a certain trigger such as heat is applied at the end of the article’s life. This active core material may, for example, promote the detachment of different coating layers (by separating them), opening the possibility for recyclability/re-use of the base materials.
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By GlobalDataDifferent active core ingredients will be evaluated, and Devan will develop processes for each type of core ingredient and for each type of coating layer/matrix.
The first meeting of the Decoat project took place last month at the EU Commission in Brussels, Belgium.
The bold aim of the four-year project is to decrease landfill by 75% of coated articles that are presently difficult to recycle, such as clothing, electronic goods and automotive components. It also aims to reduce by at least 30% the carbon footprint of these products.
By enabling the recycling of such materials, Decoat is expected to generate a new market in Europe valued at over EUR150m in the medium term.
