Textile Recycling Technologies, Colouring and Finishing Methods

Chemical substance Product type, uses 
Biocides 
Sportswear and underwear with/without odour prevention 
Workwear used in hygiene applications (cleanrooms, healthcare sector) 
Flame retardants 
Workwear, upholstery, floor covering, curtains/drapes, cotton and 
polycotton materials for home textiles 
Fluorinated and 
Perfluorinated 
substances (short 
and long chain)
Workwear 
Outdoor textiles (water repellent coatings on clothing, equipment, 
tents) 
Phthalates, SCCPs, 
heavy metals 
Coated textile products 
Textiles with prints 
Table 17: Potential Chemical Substances of Concern Used in Consumer Textile Products.
160
 

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Textile Recycling Technologies, Colouring and Finishing Methods | Le 
46 
A summary of processes developed for dye removal are outlined in Table 18. Other 
decolourization and impurity removal processes from chemical recycling technology examples 
provided in this report have been summarized in the previous sections. 
Table 18: Examples of Dye Removal Processes from Textiles. 
Company 
Technology Summary 
Target Fibre 
Teijin 
(Japan) 
Xylene and alkylene glycol extracting solvent is 
applied, and the process includes dye extraction, 
solid liquid separation.
163
 
Dyed polyester fibre
163
Feyecon 
(Netherlands) 
Polyester textile waste treated with supercritical 
CO
2
in a gas vessel, which decolourizes the 
material by dissolving the dyes.
6
 
Dyed polyester
Toray 
(Japan) 
Process utilizes an ethylene glycol-based solvent 
and includes thermal and organic solvent 
treatment to remove the polyurethane 
component.
164
 
Polyurethane component from 
Nylon 6, Nylon 12 (i.e 
waterproof, moisture 
permeable function)
164
BASF 
(Germany) 
Non-aqueous extraction solvent comprising a 
nitrogen containing organic base, ammonium salt 
and alkanol, is applied to remove dye from 
nylon.
165
 
Dyed Nylon 6, or 6,6 fibres 
165