Large volumes of textile waste are generated during garment production and after consumer use. Much of this material is difficult to reuse because it is mixed, dyed, or contains different components. New technologies are helping transform these challenging waste streams into high-quality raw materials for new textiles.
Using textile waste as a new raw material stream
BASF converts post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste into recycled polyamide 6, a type of synthetic nylon widely used in textiles, carpets, clothing, industrial fibres, and engineering plastics.
The recycled polyamide 6 is produced entirely from hard-to-recycle textile waste, making it different from many other recycled polyamide solutions that use waste from other industries, such as fishing nets or carpets, or easier-to-recycle textile production scraps.
At its production facility, the company currently focuses on industrial textile waste from manufacturing processes and is gradually increasing the share of post-consumer textile waste. The technology enables textile-to-textile recycling for polyamide 6 across a wide range of fabric blends, including materials containing elastane.
The feedstock includes cutting scraps, defective fabrics, offcuts, and other production waste generated during garment manufacturing. These materials are often difficult to recycle because they contain mixed fibres, dyes, coatings, and other finishing elements.
Thanks to advanced recycling and purification steps, the recycled polyamide 6 has the same quality and performance as conventional polyamide 6 made from virgin raw materials.
The solution also offers significant sustainability benefits, with a product carbon footprint around 70% lower than the global average for polyamide 6. This comparison is based on industry data covering polyamide 6 production worldwide.
Over time, the system is expected to incorporate increasing volumes of end-of-life garments made from polyamide 6 and other textile products. These require pre-treatment, such as the removal of accessories like buttons and zippers, before processing.
To support this approach, BASF works with industry partners to improve textile waste collection and sorting systems, helping ensure a more consistent and scalable supply of recycled feedstock.
The production facility, located in Shanghai, China, has an annual capacity of approximately 500 metric tons and supports the growing demand for more sustainable textile materials.
Bringing recycled textiles into new applications
BASF has also partnered with Lindex to bring recycled polyamide made from textile waste into the lingerie market, demonstrating the potential of textile-to-textile solutions in new applications.
The recycled polyamide 6 is certified according to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), which verifies recycled content and traceability from the source material to the final product.
