Isko
(Source: Isko)
Isko, a denim ingredient brand, and textile research and development company HKRITA have signed a licensing agreement for HKRITA’s award-winning Green Machine. This technology fully separates and recycles cotton and polyester (PET) blends at scale.
The technology is still in the pilot stage, but is an additional step in Isko’s drive to improve and commercialize recycling technologies which will eventually enable the company to offer a 100% post-consumer recycling solution to all of its customers. In addition, Isko, part of the textile division of the Sanko Group, Tokyo/Japan, and The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), Hong Kong/China, will work together to develop related technology, further strengthening the company’s position as a leader in sustainability.
The Green Machine uses an innovative and ultra-efficient hydrothermal treatment method that decomposes cotton into cellulose powders and enables the separation of PET fibers from blended fabrics. The process is a closed loop and uses only water, heat and less than 5% biodegradable green chemicals. Crucially, this method does not damage the PET fibers and therefore maintains their quality; the cellulose powders, which are clean and toxic-free, can be used in a variety of ways.