Introducing a Game Changer for Discarded Clothing

New Invisible Sorting Labels Can Help Make Textiles Repurposing Circular

People like to wear fashionable and trendy clothes. Today, it is easier than ever before to purchase new items in malls, online, or for those who are environmentally conscious, to buy from thrift stores. But what do you do with all this clothing when it is tired, worn-out, or hopelessly outdated?

You would think that clothing can be easily recycled, but it really isn’t, according to Treehugger. In fact, less than 15 percent of discarded clothing and textiles are recycled, leaving the rest to go into landfills. That’s because most recyclers do not know what the textiles are made of or how to recycle them. Now, an invisible sorting label, developed by a team at the University of Michigan, ensures that the materials can be identified and recycled.

Why Are the Photonic Tags Necessary?

The tags that you usually find in clothing don’t always last to the end of a garment’s life, reported Michigan News from the University of Michigan. Tags are frequently cut off, worn out, or illegible. That’s why the researchers set out to make a new tag that would remain for the life of the fabric.

“It’s like a barcode that’s woven directly into the fabric of a garment,” said Max Shtein, University of Michigan professor of materials science and engineering and corresponding author of the study published in Advanced Materials Technologies. “We can customize the photonic properties of the fibers to make them visible to the naked eye, readable only under near-infrared light or any combination.”

Recyclers use near-infrared sorting systems that can identify different materials according to optical signatures, like PET plastics in water bottles. Fabrics also have different signatures, but because so many garments are composed of blended materials, the sorting systems do not work.

“For a truly circular recycling system to work, it’s important to know the precise composition of a fabric — a cotton recycler doesn’t want to pay for a garment that’s made of 70 percent polyester,” said Brian Iezzi, a postdoctoral researcher in Shtein’s lab and lead author of the study. “Natural optical signatures can’t provide that level of precision, but our photonic fibers can.”

Butterfly Wings

The team used their photonic expertise to develop the new technology. Photonic properties were used to develop the new tags by using a preform, a plastic feedstock composed of dozens of layers. The researchers used acrylic and polycarbonate, which appear clear but actually create optical effects that look like color, the same process that gives butterfly wings their shimmer.

The fibers are tuned for different materials and woven into the textile so that recyclers know exactly what is in discarded garments. In addition to making recycling easier, the photonic labeling can be used by consumers to see where and how their clothing is made.

Towards Sustainable Fashion

While recycling old clothing will help the environment, what is really needed is to have fewer clothing items being discarded, according to Treehugger. Instead of buying and supporting fast fashion, clothing needs to be made more sustainably and should be repairable to last longer. Until there is a cultural shift in how people view clothing, making textiles more recyclable is an important first step.

These innovative photonic tags represent a significant advancement in textile recycling, paving the way for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future in the fashion industry.

Sophia H.