Cibutex: Textile recycling for industrial laundries
Sustainable use of rejected textiles is still being sought in many locations worldwide. We are already implementing the Circular Economy with textile service partners!
A textile becomes a textile becomes a textile ...
Since the European Parliament passed the Green Deal, the textile industry has faced an enormous challenge: its predominantly linear consumption model is to be transformed into a circular system in which products are used for as long as possible and their raw materials are subsequently reused. The model of production, use and disposal of seasonal goods that prevails above all in fashion is thus to give way to a concept that focuses on quality, durability, longer use, repair and reuse. Does that sound familiar? Of course, it does! The textile rental service has always been based on a closed-loop system that works reliably thanks to our durable, leasing-suitable qualities. However, in terms of the EU’s circular and sustainable textiles strategy, the final step is still missing: the return of discarded bed linen, table linen and terry towelling to fibre recovery.
We have taken on this challenge and, in cooperation with several textile service companies, have developed a solution that is open to all industry participants: Cibutex.
Cibutex circular process
Sustainable raw material recovery from used textiles
Cibutex is a cooperative based in the Netherlands that collects and recycles defined waste textiles and then sends them for industrial fibre-to-fibre recycling. Large-scale recovery is possible because large batches of similar textiles accumulate in the textile rental service at the end of the use phase. These can be economically processed by specialised recycling companies, the bound raw materials recovered and then returned to the textile cycle.
So far, the circular project is still limited to contract textiles made of pure cotton and cotton-polyester blends with a maximum share of 50 per cent synthetic fibre. To ensure trouble-free recycling, these textiles must be sorted by composition and white. For terry towelling, a colour content of no more than five per cent is permitted. It is also possible to hand in jersey fitted sheets as long as they are free of elastic bands or other elastic components.
Open to all and to new solutions
We, the founding members – Blycolin Textile Services (Zaltbommel, NL), Dibella (Aalten, NL), Edelweiss Groep (The Hague), Lamme Textile Management (Amsterdam, NL) and Nedlin (Elsloo, NL) – perceive Cibutex as a unique opportunity for a more sustainable supply chain. We want to bundle the upcoming challenges of the Circular Economy across Europe and offer joint solutions so that the industry does not get lost in individual measures. Accordingly, every textile service company is welcome to join our cooperative. Because we also consider the promotion of innovative upcycling ideas to be important, non-governmental organisations, universities, institutes and sector-related companies can also become members of our association.
Can we also inspire you for Cibutex? If so, feel free to contact us: hellmann@dibella.de!
Further information can be found on the Cibutex website cibutex.eco