Closed-Loop Recycling for Colored Cotton Textile Waste

Abstract

The liner economy of textile/fashion industries have long been criticized for resource depletion and environmental pollution. The use of waste cotton textile for regenerated cellulose production has been considered a promising strategy for establishing circular economy within the textile industry. This work investigated the impact of dye types on the decoloration rate of cotton textile waste. Effective decoloration was achieved for all three common reactive dyes by using alkaline hydrolysis and a reducing agent either individually or in combination, resulting in recycled cotton pulp with whiteness index exceeding 80. We further assess the molecular properties of recycled cotton pulp after decoloration, discussed the rheological properties of cellulose solutions, and explored the mechanical properties of regenerated cellulose fiber and its dyeability. This work provides comprehensive implications for establishing a circular material flow for cellulose fiber to be recycled and reused in fashion industry.

Keywords: Textile waste recycling, Circular material flow, Decoloration, Recycled cotton pulp