MIT researchers have created a yarn from resin pellets. This yarn can be re-used ten times before it begins to degrade. It is also elastic. The development could open a new market for renewable textiles.
MIT engineers create a recyclable elastic yarn that can be melted and respun into new fibre 10 times and can tackle the growing problem of textile waste– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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EXCERPT:
MIT engineers have developed a new elastic yarn made from polyethylene that could offer a more recyclable alternative to conventional stretchy fibres such as spandex. The material is designed so its components can be melted together and processed into new fibre instead of requiring complex separation. In laboratory tests, the researchers melted and respun the yarn 10 times and found that it retained its strength and flexibility through the recycling cycles. The team says the yarn could eventually be used in lightweight and stretchy clothing and then recycled into fresh fibre or other plastic products. The development addresses a major problem in textile recycling because many stretchy garments contain blended fibres that are difficult to recycle together. However, the technology is still at the research stage. It has not yet become a commercial replacement for spandex.
