World-unique plant for textile sorting in Malmö

Sysav has decided on an investment to build the world's first automated textile sorting plant on an industrial scale. The plant is the third step in the Vinnova-funded project SIPTex, which aims to increase the material recycling of textiles and contribute to achieving the sustainability goals in Agenda 2030. The plant will be built in Malmö with the start of operation in summer 2020.

The textile sector is one of the sectors that has the highest environmental impact globally. Of the more than 120,000 tonnes of new textiles that are put on the Swedish market annually, only about 5 per cent is recycled. Today's manual sorting does not match the requirements of textile recyclers and fashion companies. Automatic sorting is therefore a key to creating circular textile circuits.

The SIPTex plant uses near-infrared and visual spectroscopy to sort mixed textile waste according to market needs for fiber composition and color. The products can then move on to fiber-to-fiber recycling and spin to new thread.

- The market for recycling products is in its infancy, but a number of textile manufacturers have set targets for increased use of recycled textile fibers by 2025/2030. SIPTex becomes the link that is currently lacking between collected textile waste and high-quality fiber-to-fiber recycling, says Peter Engström, CEO of Sysav

One of the goals of SIPTex is to contribute to a larger market for quality-assured recycling products. Creating a circular cycle for textiles globally requires investment, and collaboration between both manufacturers, graders and material recyclers. The project involves large Swedish textile, fashion and furniture companies, municipalities, charities, research institutes and authorities.

- This investment is a good example where we, as a publicly owned company with an economic long-term perspective, show the way to sustainable solutions for the future. Private operators are often limited by too short-term requirements for repayment and return, says Peter Engström.

Expected effects and results

SIPTex contributes to Sweden's position as a pioneering country in the circular economy. The project works towards six impact goals that are expected to be met five years after the project is completed:

• Increased circularity in the textile value chain
• Contribution to secure raw material supply for textile manufacturers
• Established automated textile sorting capacity in Europe
• Working markets for textiles for recycling
• Established "ecosystem" of actors along the textile value chain
• Introduced instruments for more circular textile cycles and strategies for risk-free use of recycled textile fibers

Sysav will invest and build the facility, which in full operation has the capacity to sort 16,000 tonnes of textiles per year and is staffed by seven people in two shifts. The project is also funded by Vinnova through the Challenge-driven Innovation project, to develop innovative solutions that help achieve the sustainability goals of Agenda 2030.

About SIPTex

SIPTex, the Swedish Innovation Platform for Textile Sorting, is funded by Vinnova and is a step 3 project within the Challenge-driven innovation program. It is led by the IVL Swedish Environmental Institute and is implemented together with a broad consortium consisting of research institutes, authorities and actors from different parts of the value chain for textiles; Boer Group, ECO TLC, Gina Tricot, H&M, Human Bridge, ICA, IKEA, IVL Swedish Environmental Institute, KappAhl, KEMI, Cycle and Water, Malmö City, Myrorna, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Re: newcell, Red Cross, Stadium, Stockholm Water and Waste , Sysav, Volvo and VTT