Silk Recycling into Non-Woven Fabric
Overview
An innovative method to recycle garments made of silk that overcome existing technological constraints in textile recycling
Technical name of innovation
Silk Recycling into Non-Woven Fabric
Research completion
2023
Commercialisation opportunities
Technology licensing
Problem addressed
Currently there is no reliable method to recycle and reuse silk, as the challenge mainly lies on the properties of most silk products are usually fine, light weight, high yarn count and with high-twist yarn while conventional opening process in textile recycling is unable to process them efficiently.
Innovation
- A custom opening process to handle silk fabric's light weight, fine and high-twist characteristic to recover the silk fibres
- Fibres after treatment undergoes a non-woven process to create woollen fabric for coat directly without going through the traditional process of yarn spinning, knitting or weaving into fabrics
- A sandwich structure with a silk-mesh skeleton between two layers of non-woven silk fabric is proposed
Key impact
- Recycling garments made of silk by overcoming existing technological constraint
- Reducing waste of garment made of silk, contributing to a sustainable fashion industry
- Technological breakthrough in non-woven fabric manufacturing
Application
- Silk recycling
- Non-woven fabric manufacturing
The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA)
Established in 2006, The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) is funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government, and hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
HKRITA has achieved research deliverables over the years around our research clusters targeting in sustainability, industry advancement and social benefits through our centre-owned research teams and laboratories as well as collaborations with industry partners and institutions.
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