Under the requirements of environmental policy, let's talk about textile recycled fibers

China is the world's largest chemical fiber production and application country, in 2019, the total production of chemical fiber in China was 58.27 million tons, of which 47.51 million tons of polyester, accounting for 81.5% of the total production of chemical fiber. The problem of waste pollution accompanying the huge production is also becoming more and more serious. Therefore, the development of recycling chemical fiber is an important way for China's chemical fiber industry and even textile industry to achieve sustainable development.

1. Latest policy requirements

NDRC and other three departments: In 2025, the output of recycled fibers of waste textiles reached 2 million tons

On April 11, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the recycling of waste Textiles" proposed that by 2025, the recycling system of waste textiles will be initially established, the recycling capacity will be greatly improved, and the recycling rate of waste textiles will reach 25%. The output of recycled fibers from waste textiles reached 2 million tons. By 2030, a more complete recycling system of waste textiles will be built, the awareness of recycling among producers and consumers will be significantly improved, the ways of high-value utilization will continue to expand, the level of industrial development will be significantly improved, the recycling rate of waste textiles will reach 30%, and the output of recycled fibers of waste textiles will reach 3 million tons.

In terms of promoting green and low-carbon production in the textile industry, the "Opinions" require the implementation of green textile design, encourage the use of green fibers, and strengthen the social responsibility of textile producers. In terms of improving the waste textile recycling system, the "Opinions" require improving the recycling network, expanding recycling channels, and strengthening recycling management.

Second, polyester fiber introduction

1. Polyester fiber

POLYESTER FIBERS, commonly known as "polyester". Referred to as "P" or "T", is a synthetic fiber derived from polyester polycondensation of organic dibasic acid and dibasic alcohol by spinning, referred to as PET fiber, was invented in 1941, is the first major variety of synthetic fiber.

The biggest advantage of polyester fiber is that it has good wrinkle resistance and shape retention, and has high strength and elastic resilience. It is fast and durable, wrinkle-resistant, non-ironing, and non-sticky.

Polyester has excellent setting properties. Polyester yarn or fabric after the formation of flat, fluffy shape or pleats, etc., in use after many washing, can still be durable. It is widely used in the manufacture of clothing fabrics and industrial products.

Polyester is also the simplest of the three synthetic fibers, and the price is relatively cheap. In addition, it has the characteristics of strong and durable, good elasticity, not easy to deformation, corrosion resistance, insulation, crisp, easy to wash and dry, etc., and it is loved by people.

The upstream of the polyester fiber industry is the petrochemical industry, and the downstream is the textile industry. The main operating process of the polyester fiber industry is to purchase petrochemical products PTA, MEG and other additive raw materials, carry out polycondensation reaction through corresponding production equipment, and then produce polyester filament products through the spinning, addendum and other processes, and sell the products to downstream weaving enterprises for the production of civil and industrial textiles.

2. Application of polyester fiber

Polyester has many excellent textile properties and wear properties, a wide range of uses, can be made of pure textile, but also with cotton, wool, silk, hemp and other natural fibers and other chemical fibers blended and interwoven, made into a variety of colors, fast and scrape, easy to wash and dry, ironing and washing can wear good performance of wool, cotton, silk, linen fabric.

Polyester fabric is suitable for men's and women's shirts, outerwear, children's clothing, interior decoration fabrics and carpets. Because polyester has good elasticity and fluffiness, it can also be used as wadding. In the industry, high-strength polyester can be used as tire cord, transport belt, fire hose, cable, fishing net, etc., and can also be used as electrical insulation materials, acid-resistant filter cloth and paper blankets. Non-woven fabric made of polyester can be used for interior decoration, carpet backcloth, medical industry cloth, floss, lining and so on.

Three, recycled polyester fiber

1. Classification of recycled polyester fibers

There are two main categories of regenerated fibers: regenerated cellulose fibers and regenerated synthetic fibers.

Viscose fiber is the earliest regenerated fiber, and later new regenerated cellulose fibers such as Lyocell fiber, cellulose carbamate fiber, superconducting viscose fiber, kapok fiber and bamboo fiber have appeared successively.

Polyester fiber accounts for about 70% of synthetic fibers, and the application of polyester in the bottle industry has expanded rapidly, so the recycled synthetic fiber is mainly recycled polyester fiber.

2. Recycled polyester fiber production technology

At present, recycled polyester raw materials mainly come from waste polyester bottle flakes, sheets, films, polyester blocks and waste silk in polyester polyester production.

The preparation method of recycled polyester fiber can be divided into physical method, chemical method and physical chemical method according to the regeneration principle.

Physical method

The physical method refers to the regeneration method of melt spinning directly after sorting, cleaning and drying waste polyester materials as raw materials.

Chemical method

Chemical method refers to the process of depolymerization of waste polyester material into polymerization monomer or polymerization intermediate by chemical reaction, and then regeneration polymerization and melt spinning after purification and separation. Chemical recovery technologies currently on the market include glycolysis, methanolysis and alkaline hydrolysis.

Physicochemical method

The physicochemical method is a recycled chemical fiber produced by grinding and cleaning polyester waste (waste bottle sheet) and increasing viscosity in the spinning process. Physicochemical method combines the advantages of physical method and chemical method.

Comparison of physical and chemical methods

Four, recycled polyester fiber and GRS certification

The end enterprise must have GRS certification for recycled polyester fiber. So what is GRS certification and what are the conditions required to obtain GRS certification?

1. What is GRS certification?

The so-called GRS certificate is the abbreviation of the global recycling standard for textile and apparel, and is the verification standard established for recycled fibers by the International Environmental Management Union Certification body (CU). In addition to regulating the source of raw materials, the verification standard also regulates the treatment of wastewater and the use of chemicals in the production process.

2. What are the GRS certification conditions?

GRS certification access conditions: the proportion of recycled ingredients of certified products is ≥20%;

GRS logo& Label use and special statement: The proportion of recycled cost of the production product is ≥50%

GRS application must meet the conditions:

If the company wants to apply for GRS certification, then the upstream supplier of recycled raw material should also have GRS certification. When conducting GRS certification of the Company, its supplier should provide GRS compliance certificate (scope certificate, referred to as SC) and transaction certificate (referred to as TC). Suppliers of reclaimed material at the source of the supply chain are required to provide Reclaimed Material Supplier Agreement and Reclaimed Material Declaration Form Declaration Form), on-site verification if necessary.

According to relevant information, Shenghong Group, Hengli Group, Shanghai Yuanfang Industry Co., LTD., Yizheng Zhongxing Environmental Protection Technology Co., LTD., Zhejiang Beaux New Materials Co., LTD., Zhejiang Haili Environmental Protection Technology Co., LTD., Ningbo Dafa Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. and other enterprises have successively obtained GRS certification.

Fifth, recycled polyester fiber to help environmental protection

Recycled polyester fiber is a kind of recycled environmental protection fabric developed in response to the strategic development of the country to protect the environment. It has a wide range of uses, the use of recycled polyester fiber, can be made into a dress, a carpet, sofa, artificial lawn, geotextiles, filter materials, car parts and so on.

According to the data, every ton of recycled products recycled can reduce oil consumption by 6 tons and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.2 tons, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by 200 trees in a year. At the same time, the performance of recycled polyester fibers is comparable to that of native fibers, and some properties are even higher than that of native fibers (such as the resilience, smoothness, and looseness of recycled three-dimensional filling short fibers). Therefore, whether from carbon emissions, social responsibility, or resource investment, the importance of recycled polyester fiber for human beings is beyond doubt.

Six, the "more environmental protection, more fashion" of big brands

Plastic pollution has gained global resonance, and as governments around the world begin to formulate plastic waste policies, companies are also using environmental issues to try to improve their brand reputation in a competitive market.

No one can deny that the true stylish fashion attitude of the moment is to adhere to environmental protection. Now, environmental fashion is from Europe and the United States to the global popular, it brings not only beauty, but also a new, healthy outlook on life and fashion.

Adidas: Full use of recycled polyester in 2024!

ZARA: By 2025, all of the Group's brands, including Zara, Pull&Bear and Massimo Dutti, will use 100% sustainable fabrics.

H&M: By 2030, it will use 100% recycled or other sustainable sources of materials.

Gucci: Gucci off the Grid launches a new eco-friendly collection.

Nike: Nike released 2021 impact report: Recycled polyester fiber accounted for 38% of footwear products

Boohoo: Launched a new clothing line containing 95 percent recycled polyester, with all of its polyester and cotton being recycled or made more sustainable by 2025.

Nike, Burberry, Gap and others have joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Make Fashion Circular initiative, which aims to reduce waste in the global fashion industry by recycling raw materials and products.

The global trend of fashion and environmental protection will certainly affect the development trend of China's textile and garment industry, and ecology, environmental protection and green will be the eternal theme of the development of The Times!