Scaling a Circular Materials Model for Textiles from Fashion Waste

Clothing is a necessity for humans, but our current approach to clothing production is harmful to the environment. The fashion industry generates a significant amount of textile waste each year, much of which is disposed of in harmful ways. ReSpool works to recycle textiles into new, valuable products through innovative technologies and partnerships.

ReSpool, a part of the National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator, has developed innovative technologies to recycle discarded clothing into valuable textile products. These technologies include machines for shredding fabrics, a chemical process for recycling polyester, and manufacturing processes for creating new textile products. ReSpool will now scale these innovations for commercial use and test them at Goodwill Industries recycling centers. Goodwill currently exports unsold clothing to other countries, but ReSpool aims to divert millions of pounds of clothing from landfills and create new jobs through their partnership. They plan to integrate their technologies into Goodwill organizations across the US and Canada to promote economic development and sustainability.