Innovation


Pick4Crcl project explores robotised sorting technology in Germany


Germany-based Polysecure and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) have started Pick4Crcl, a project aiming to develop new approaches for the fully automated separation, detection, and sorting of textile waste. Against a backdrop of rising demands on the circular economy and a growing shortage of skilled workers, automated solutions for the textile industry are becoming increasingly important. Pick4Crcl focuses on robotics and intelligent material recognition, with model-free grasping algorithms being developed that can automati- cally separate textiles from


Polyester recolouring


research A research project at the University of Fukui in Japan has recoloured polyester with supercritical carbon dioxide which could possibly simplify fibre-to-fibre recycling. Researchers developed a


supercritical CO2 treatment that redistributes existing dyes between polyester fibres, creating uniform colours without removing the original dyes. By controlling fibre proportions, they tuned shades and developed a model that accurately predicted colour strength. They say this


30 Textiles Loop • Autumn 2026


Fraunhofer IPA is focused on developing technologies for robot-assisted separation and feeding. Image: Florian Jordan / Fraunhofer IPA


unordered material streams. At the same time, a


multimodal sensor approach is being developed that combines various measurement methods to reliably identify and classify materials. A particular focus is on the detection of mixed textiles, with the technologies developed being tested and validated under real-world conditions at a pilot plant. In addition, the economic


approach could support sustainable polyester recycling, although testing with real textile waste is needed. The method relies on


supercritical CO2 penetrating polyester fibres and promoting dye movement. In the research, dye molecules migrated from higher to lower concentrations until redistribution occurred. In one experiment, Blue


BG-dyed fabric and Yellow G-dyed fabric were combined at a 1:3 ratio. After 30 minutes, the fabrics showed different greenish shades. After 60 minutes, their colours became nearly identical, and after 90 minutes, both reached an identical green shade. Changing proportions shifted the shade


and environmental potential of the technologies will be more thoroughly examined. Based on this, a roadmap will be created for industrial application and the path to market readiness. As the consortium coordina-


tor, Polysecure is responsible for developing material detection as well as integrating and validating the pilot sorting system, while the Fraunhofer IPA is focused on developing


from yellowish green toward blue green. Three dye combina- tions produced a wider range of colours. The approach could provide


a way to reuse coloured polyester fibres without first removing their dyes or adding new dyes. However, the study used fabrics with known dye compositions rather than mixed textile waste. Further research is needed to test different waste streams, dye combinations, and larger scale processing. The research was conducted


by Senior Assistant Professor Jianhua Ren from the Head- quarters for Carbon Neutral Initiatives, University of Fukui, along with Professor Kazumasa


technologies for robot-assisted separation and feeding. Pick4Crcl is funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism in Germany. Polysecure has developed


sorting technologies which include Sort4Circle, a single- step sorting process with multi-sensor analysis. •www.polysecure.eu •www.ipa.fraunhofer.de


Hirogaki, and Researcher Isao Tabata from the School of Engineering, University of Fukui, Japan. • www.u-fukui.ac.jp


PFAS-free functional


additives US masterbatch manufacturer Americhem has launched nPure and nZorb, two complementary PFAS-free functional additive technologies designed to engineer performance within the polymer matrix. Developed for fibre and nonwoven applications, the technologies address two critical perfor- mance requirements; durable


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