is ideal for shredded textiles; Redwave Tex System for sorting into multiple target fractions, which was developed for whole garments or reuse concepts; and Redwave Analyser which provides real-time monitoring and quality control directly on the conveyor belt. Andritz and Pellenc ST were two more


technology companies exhibiting at the expo in June. Together they worked with Nouvelles Fibres Textiles to set up a test and demonstration centre in Amplepuis, France which combines Pellenc ST’s automated sorting technologies with Andritz’s recycling technologies. This processes post-consumer textile waste and produces recycled fibre for the spinning, nonwoven and composite industries. Among the other exhibitors in June connected with automated sorting were Steinert, Stadler, Trinamix and Data Beyond. Stadler was a partner with Tomra in the


SIPTex project in Sweden. It designed and built the world’s first fully automated, industrial-scale mixed textile waste plant with Tomra in Malmö, which uses NIR spectroscopy to sort and recover valuable materials from waste textiles. This technology allows for the separation of different textile types and colours, enabling recycling and re-utilisation of materials. Trinamix, a subsidiary of polymer


producer BASF, has developed hand-held NIR technology that allows quick identification of plastics and textiles with the push of a button. This year it launched the PAL Two portable NIR spectrometer. In textile identification, the company said the unit can detect a diverse array of fibre materials including acrylic, cotton, elastane, polyamide (with subclasses PA 6 and PA 66), polyester, polypropylene, silk, viscose, and wool. It also has the capability to analyse textiles composed of multiple materials.


NewRetex facility in Bjerringbro, Denmark. Image: NewRetex


Guangdong DataBeyond Technology specialises in intelligent sorting solutions powered by AI and optoelectronic integra- tion. Its advanced systems are used in a wide range of waste sorting applications. Matoha Instrumentation has developed


advanced textile sorting technology to improve recycling efficiency and reduce waste. It said its FabriTell devices use NIR spectroscopy to quickly and accurately identify fabric compositions, enabling recyclers to separate materials more effectively and prevent contamination.


•www.valvan.com •www.newretex.com •www.tomra.com •www.picvisa.com •www.evk.biz •www.redwave.com •www.andritz.com •www.pellencst.com • www.circle8ecosystems.co.uk • https://w-stadler.de •www.trinamix.de •www.databeyond.cn • www.matoha.com


Circle-8 advances UK transition from manual to automated sorting


The Automatic-Sorting for Circularity and Textiles (ACT UK) project brings together partners with the aim of industrialising textile sorting in the UK. A key member is Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems which has a received a grant for a 25,000 tonnes/yr Automated Textile Sorting & Pre-process- ing plant (ATSP). The company is planning to build a network of ATSPs designed to turn non-reusable textiles into feedstock for high volume textile recyclers. In May, Circle-8 announced its


purchase of a single line sorter from NewRetex, part funded by the ACT UK project. The NewRetex single line sorter will be the first standalone component contributing to the 25,000 tonnes/yr capacity, setting the standard for future developments, it said. Cyndi Rhoades, Co-founder and CEO


Redwave Tex sensor-based sorting technology for textiles. Image: Redwave


of Circle-8, said the NewRetex sorting line “will enable a significant advance in the transition from manual to automated sorting of non-reusable textiles, laying the groundwork to support the scale up of fibre-to-fibre recycling plants for textiles and other recycling processes in the UK”. The NewRetex sorting line will enable high-capacity sorting and accurate classification of textiles according to material composition, colour and presence of hard parts such as buttons and zippers.


Textiles Loop • Autumn 2025 15


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