SwIn a groundbreaking collaboration, Worn Again Technologies, along with key partners, has clinched a grant from Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency. The grant is set to fuel a visionary four-year project, aptly named “Towards a NetZero Plastics Industry,” commencing in January 2024.
This ambitious initiative, featuring collaborators like Sulzer and IWK (the Swiss Institute of Materials Technology and Plastics Processing), aims to revolutionize waste textiles by converting them into higher-grade PET for the production of advanced technical parts.
Worn Again will take the lead in producing PET for application testing, utilizing Sulzer Chemtech’s cutting-edge technology to transform raw materials into advanced foams and resins for injection molding at IWK’s facility. The project’s impact will extend beyond innovation; it includes an ongoing assessment of climate benefits, contributing to a digital decarbonization tool developed by IWK for dissemination to Swiss manufacturers.
Toby Moss, Director of Business Development at Worn Again, expressed the company’s broader vision, stating, “We want to use our demo plant and develop the surrounding value chain as a blueprint for building out the circular economy globally.” This aligns seamlessly with Worn Again’s plans to launch its demonstration chemical recycling plant in Winterthur.
The project not only reinforces Worn Again’s commitment to sustainable practices but also establishes the Swiss Textile Recycling Ecosystem. By creating additional mechanisms for the circular economy, this endeavor serves as a potential blueprint for expanding the newfound value chain beyond Switzerland.
Worn Again’s chemical recycling process is a game-changer, reclaiming virgin-quality products and reintroducing them into the supply chain. This innovative approach allows textile manufacturers to separate and decontaminate PET resin and cellulose from end-of-life textiles, producing superior materials with far-reaching implications across various industries.