Textile Recycling Technologies, Colouring and Finishing Methods

*City University 
Hong Kong, 
HKRITA
135,136 
(Hong Kong) 
Post-consumer 
polyester-cotton 
blends 
Cotton is recovered and 
converted to glucose to 
potential value-added use 
in other industries. 
Highly pure polymer 
residues (PET) can be 
respun to fibre. 
Biological recycling method:
Fermentation of textile waste 
to produce cellulase enzyme, 
a freezing alkali/urea 
pretreatment, followed by 
enzymatic hydrolysis 
(cellulase enzyme) and 
filtration to obtain a glucose 
stream from the cellulose 
component, and recovered 
PET polymer component.
(continued) 

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Textile Recycling Technologies, Colouring and Finishing Methods | Le 
37 
Company 
Feedstock/Input, 
Requirements 
Product/Output 
Description or Process 
*HKRITA 
137,138 
(Hong Kong)
Post-consumer 
polyester-cotton 
blends 
Two separate streams: 
cellulose powder from 
cotton, and polyester 
fibre. The recovery 
rate of polyester fibres 
is 98% in 0.5 to 2 
hours, with maintained 
quality. 
A hydrothermal treatment method is 
applied to separate and recycle 
blended polycotton blended textiles. 
Cotton is decomposed into cellulose 
powder, which allows for polyester 
fibres separation from the blends. 
Process inputs include heat, water, and 
5% chemical (sustainable/green).
*HKRITA 
138,139
 
(Hong Kong)
 
Post-consumer 
wool, cotton, and 
wool-cotton blends
Sliver for yarn 
spinning, fabric or 
garment making. The 
processing method has 
minimal impact on 
fibre properties. 
Mechanical recycling process 
incorporating sanitization processes 
that reduce 90% of microorganisms 
present in the waste (ISO 11737-
1:2018), and a highly automated 
sorting system (residual metal 
detection, colour detection algorithm) 
with robotics (AGV) and intelligent 
conveyor control.