Norway based-Tomra Textiles and London-located Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems have teamed up to advance the first automated textiles sorting and pre-processing facility for non-reusable waste textiles in the UK.
The companies will conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to design a scalable automated textile sorting and pre-processing facility. Leveraging Tomra's expertise and experience, Circle-8 aims to develop solution designs tailored to the UK's needs for an automated sorting and pre-processing facility for non-reusable textiles.
A key member of ACT UK, Circle-8 is actively engaged with stakeholders across the textile value chain to foster a circular textiles ecosystem. Tomra brings invaluable insights from its involvement as the main technology provider for SIPtex, the world's first fully scaled automated textile sorting facility, located in Malmö, Sweden. Drawing from lessons learned in this project, Tomra is committed to optimizing and reconfiguring its technology for industrial-scale sorting of post-consumer garments. The feasibility study seeks to devise an automated solution capable of sorting textiles by fiber composition and color, as well as removing disruptors such as buttons, zippers, and trims, while preparing materials for textile-to-textile recycling processes.
Cyndi Rhoades, Co-founder and CEO, Circle-8 Textile Ecosystems, emphasises the critical role of automated sorting and pre-processing in creating a truly circular textiles value chain. She asserts the collaboration with Tomra will highlight the potential for positive progress in this endeavor.
Vibeke Krohn, Head, Tomra Textiles, stresses the importance of collaboration across the value chain, citing Tomra's extensive experience in developing technologies for the transition to circularity. Together with Circle-8 and its network of retailers and brands in the UK, Tomra aims to drive meaningful progress towards designing a solution for the sorting and pre-processing of non-reusable textiles.
