BioFashionTech. Upcycle textile waste into bio-based raw materials
Startbudget toegekend € 50000,-
Each year, 92 million tons of textile waste is generated, with 85% of it being either incinerated or sent to landfills. The production of textiles is projected to increase by 63% by 2030. Two-thirds of the global plastic production is used in textiles, making it crucial to establish a circular economy that maximizes product and raw material reuse while minimizing value destruction. Recycling waste plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. BioFashionTech is a purpose-driven, clean technology-based company specializing in textile waste-to-value conversion.BioFashionTech utilizes a novel, cost-effective, and low-energy intensive biotech process that efficiently degrades textile waste and produces valuable products. These molecules can be used as starting materials for biofuel and biobased chemical production. Additionally, BioFashionTech recycles plastic fibers and dyes blended in textiles, maximizing resource utilization. Currently, mechanical and chemical fiber-to-fiber recycling are the primary methods for recycling textiles. These techniques focus on mono-materials with medium-high grade fibers to create new yarn or fabric. In contrast, BioFashionTech technology can efficiently process low-quality mixed fiber textile waste, such as poly-cotton blends, using shorter fibers. This approach increases efficiency and eliminates the need for new raw materials. Moreover, BioFashionTech can recycle colored items without requiring additional raw materials. The BioFashionTech technology works on various textile streams, including poly-cotton, cotton, viscose, linen, and hemp. The innovation behind BioFashionTech is based on patent-pending technology that has been validated in a laboratory setting, with a small-scale minimum viable product (MVP) of 2 liters. BioFashionTech has established collaborations, formalized by letter of intent (LOI), with textile collectors, recyclers, and companies like Fabulous Fungi. The next step for BioFashionTech is to create larger volume MVPs to assess its commercial potential. BioFashionTech has also initiated collaborations with BLueCity Lab and Planet bi.o innovation hub for industrial biotech. BioFashionTech's solution recycles textile waste and reintroduces it into the economy as secondary raw materials, unlocking its intrinsic value. Raw materials play a critical role in meeting the goals outlined in COP21 and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. By enabling the development of alternative and sustainable energy and establishing secure supply chains, BioFashionTech actively contributes to long-term mitigation targets and vulnerability reduction. The BioFashionTech process has the potential to save millions of tons of CO2 emissions by avoiding incineration, reducing energy usage, saving raw materials derived from crude oil, and minimizing chemical waste.