Textile Recycling Technologies, Colouring and Finishing Methods

2.0 BACKGROUND 
Global demand for textile materials is expected to continue to rise due to population growth, 
improvement of living standards, rapidly changing fashion trends as a result of increased style 
turnaround and shortened garment life cycles, coupled with lower prices.
8,9
With this comes the 
generation of textile and associated chemical waste streams. While still comprising a small 
proportion of total global waste streams (total of 1.9 billion tonnes annually
3
), textile waste is one 
of the most rapidly growing waste streams. This is due to low rates of utilisation and recycling, 
resulting in high throughput levels; with approximately 83.5 million tonnes of waste produced 
annually (2015), and expected to increase by 62% by 2030.
3,5
 From the lifecycle standpoint, the 
apparel industry is considered as one of the most polluting due to the high volume of resources 
used, resulting in ecological impacts.
3,8,10 
In recent times, there have been emerging concerns 
regarding microplastics release into marine environments, with the majority of suspected 
microplastics comprising synthetic fibres, which enter potable water systems, or are captured in 
municipal wastewater treatment plants.
11,12
It has been estimated that 34.8% of primary 
microplastics release into world oceans are derived from the laundering of synthetic textiles.
13 
The raw materials, use, and end-of-use phases within the apparel industry value chain, were 
identified as areas in which greater sustainability improvements are needed.
i
It is estimated that 
87% of materials used to produce clothing is landfilled or incinerated, thereby representing a 100 
billion (USD) annual cost in lost opportunity.
3,14
In addition to this, only 20% of clothing is 
estimated to be collected for reuse or recycling,
5
and less than 1% of textile materials used to 
i
Based on the Global Fashion Agenda and The Boston Consulting Group’s performance Pulse Score, developed based on the SAC Higg Index to 
track overall sustainability from key environmental and social impact areas
Figure 1: Apparel material waste flows from raw materials to end-of-life (estimates).
 Reproduced from [5]. 

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Textile Recycling Technologies, Colouring and Finishing Methods | Le 
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produce clothing undergoing closed-loop fibre-to-fibre recycling.
3
Figure 1 displays estimated 
apparel material waste flows from raw material production to end-of-life. Accordingly, the End-
of-Use phase, in coordination with other phases across the industry value chain is a key enabler in 
advancing industry efforts towards a circular economy. 
Within Canada, it is estimated that approximately 500,000 tonnes of apparel waste is disposed 
annually. In Metro Vancouver, approximately 20,000 tonnes of apparel waste is sent to disposal, 
comprising 2.3% of total landfill waste, and 50% of the total textile waste generated in the province 
of British Columbia (BC).
7,15
In the greater Vancouver area, no closed-loop apparel recycling 
operations take place, and it is estimated that 20% of materials from sorter-graders are sold for 
recycling in foreign markets.
7,16
In BC, apparel manufacturing is the fourth-largest manufacturing subsector based on sales, with 
80% of clothing manufacturing businesses located in the Lower Mainland.
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Within the greater 
Vancouver area, the apparel manufacturing sector plays an economically important role. Over 60% 
of the apparel manufacturing businesses in the province are involved in on-shore manufacturing.
17
 
From the key product lines of apparel manufacturing businesses in BC displayed in Figure 2, over 
three-quarters of businesses produce textile-related products (businesses surveyed may be 
involved in production of multiple product lines).
17
 
Figure 2: Apparel-related firms in British Columbia by product (%).
 Reproduced from [17]. 
While the overall role of the greater Vancouver area within BC is small on the global scale, 
combined with consumption activity from wholesale and retail apparel businesses which continues 
to grow, this presents opportunities to examine textile recycling technologies and current practices 
in the global textile and apparel manufacturing industry.