Inditex, the Spanish fashion giant, has recently joined a new consortium called Whitecycle, which aims to coordinate and develop recycling solutions for complex textile-based plastics. This consortium consists of 16 entities from across Europe, including French group Michelin and French biological recycling specialist Carbios. The formation of Whitecycle is in line with the European Union’s objectives for 2030, particularly regarding reducing CO² emissions.
By the end of the decade, Whitecycle predicts that implementing circular solutions will enable the recycling of over two million tonnes of PET (waste containing textiles) per year and reduce local CO² emissions by two million tonnes. The participating businesses believe that the outcomes of this project can lead to the reintegration of raw materials from PET waste processing into the production of high-performance products through a circular and viable value chain.
Whitecycle has a global budget of €9.6 million, with €7.1 million allocated for European funding. Michelin will be responsible for coordinating the consortium’s operations, and its partners are located in five different countries: France, Spain, Germany, Norway, and Turkey. Alongside Inditex and Carbios, other industrial partners in the consortium include Mandals, Kordsa, and Michelin. Waste management specialists Synergies LC and Estato, business software specialist Iris, and product lifecycle analysis specialist Ipoint are also part of this initiative. Additionally, five universities, namely HVL, Institut PPRIME at the University of Poitiers/CNRS, DITF, IFTH, and Erasme, as well as the Axelera industry cluster and project management consulting company Dynergie, are involved in Whitecycle.
The consortium has identified four key areas of innovation: developing sorting technology for complex waste streams, sustainable decomposition of materials through pre-treatments and enzyme-based processes, repolymerisation of recycled monomers into new plastic, and producing and verifying the quality of new products made from recycled plastic.
Recycling materials has become a focal point for the European textile industry, as there is a growing desire to find ample local sources of materials for utilization. Euratex, the European confederation for the textile industry, recently announced the initial phase of its project called Rehub, which aims to establish European textile recycling hubs. The collaboration between leading industry players in Whitecycle is expected to drive significant progress in achieving the recycling objectives set by the European Union, while also establishing a sustainable and circular value chain for textile-based plastics.
Useful links:
Whitecycle Consortium
European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan
