This paper puts forward the Circular Strategies Scanner: a framework that introduces a taxonomy of circular strategies developed for use by manufacturing companies engaging in circular economy (CE) oriented innovation. Currently, a range of frameworks exists that propose a vision for how to operate in a CE, by identifying and organising relevant circular strategies. However, these frameworks have a limited applicability for specific business types, in particular manufacturing, and are unsuitable for use in CE oriented innovation, due to a lacking ability to support innovation processes through: 1) creating a comprehensive understanding of circular strategies, 2) mapping strategies currently applied and 3) finding opportunities for improved circularity across a range of business processes. This paper addresses these shortcomings by proposing a circular strategies framework for the manufacturing context, titled the Circular Strategies Scanner, which provides a comprehensive set of definitions of circular strategies and directly supports the early stages of CE oriented innovation. With this, the paper contributes to the body of work that develops CE transition methodology.

The ability to create secondary raw materials with low impurity content is importantfrom a fibre regeneration processing perspective. Cotton textiles contain colourantsand textile finish, which can be considered as impurities in a chemical recyclingprocess. Removal of such impurities in a decolourisation stage would enhance the fibredissolving capacity and stabilise and simplify the fibre regeneration process.Moreover, the removal of impurities from secondary raw materials is also importantfrom an environmental and health perspective. Chemical recycling has the potentialto deal with the risk of retaining or spreading hazardous substances further inre-circulated textile loops. Of specific concern are colourants or additives withcarcinogenic or endocrine disruptive attributes as well as bioaccumulative substancessuch as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are commonly used intextiles for dirt and water repellency.This report describes an experimental evaluation of physical properties of decolourisedcotton regenerated into viscose fibres and an analysis of potentially hazardous textilefinish components throughout a decolourisation approach. The three main researchquestions in this report are:1. Can we obtain viscose fibres from a decolourised black cotton fabric withsimilar physical properties as commercial viscose fibres by using the re:newcelldecolourisation approach?2. Can the impact from a DMeDHEU(1) anti-wrinkle and a fatty acid softener finish onthe physical viscose fibre properties be eliminated using this decolourisation approach?3. Could chemical recycling be a potential solution for recirculation of textiles whichhave a risk of containing hazardous substances of for example PFAS dirt and waterrepellent type?

The project has been performed within the Mistra Future Fashion research program byjoint work from re:newcell, MoRe research, Swerea IVF, Swedish School of Textile and RISE,and with support from the companies DyStar®, Lenzing AG, H&M, I:CO, Boob design,Wiges, New Wave Group, Filippa K and Kappahl. The part of the study that concerned thedirt and water repellent was performed in cooperation with the research project SUPFESfunded by the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences andSpatial Planning (FORMAS) under grant agreement No. 2012-2148.The study showed that viscose fibres can be produced from decolourised cotton usingthe re:newcell decolourisation approach. However, the desired physical fibre propertieswere not obtained. More optimisation in the decolourisation stage is needed to adapt thecotton substrate for the viscose process.

A first indication of the softener to positively affect tenacity of the viscose fibre wasobserved. The anti-wrinkle treated fabric showed a tendency in higher reduced cloggingnumber, but no influence on the physical fibre properties was seen. While caution shouldbe taken in drawing conclusions from the few performed trials, it seems likely that theimpact from the tested types of anti-wrinkle agent and softener on the viscose processcould not be eliminated by the use of the decolourisation approach. This also raisesthe question of how persistent the softener is in a decolourisation process. The resultsfrom the analysis on dirt and water repellent substances (DWR/PFAS) throughout thedecolourisation process showed that one third remained in the pulp. This suggests thatthe DWR binds to the fibres in a way which the decolourisation process is not able toreverse.Taken together, these results are not sufficient to prove the hypothesis of whetherchemical recycling could be a potential solution for recirculation of textiles with risk forcontaining hazardous substances of this sort.The trials lead to the following conclusions: The used decolourisation approach haspotential to remove the type of reactive dye, wrinkle-free agent and softener tested inthis study. Adaption of the decolourisation process for the cotton substrate is neededin further trials. In the specific case of cotton flows with presence of dirt and waterrepellent finish we recommend designing of another decolourisation approach.

The chemical recycling of cellulosic fibres may represent a next-generation fibre–fibre recycling system for cotton textiles, though remaining challenges include how to accommodate fibre blends, dyes, wrinkle-free finishes, and other impurities from finishing. These challenges may disrupt the regeneration process steps and reduce the fibre quality. This study examines the impact on regenerated viscose fibre properties of a novel alkaline/acid bleaching sequence to strip reactive dyes and dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneureas (DMDHEU) wrinkle-free finish from cotton textiles. Potentially, such a bleaching sequence could advantageously be integrated into the viscose process, reducing the costs and environmental impact of the product. The study investigates the spinning performance and mechanical properties (e.g., tenacity and elongation) of the regenerated viscose fibres. The alkaline/acid bleaching sequence was found to strip the reactive dye and DMDHEU wrinkle-free finish from the cotton fabric, so the resulting pulp could successfully be spun into viscose fibres, though the mechanical properties of these fibres were worse than those of commercial viscose fibres. This study finds that reactive dyes and DMDHEU wrinkle-free finish affect the viscose dope quality and the regeneration performance. The results might lead to progress in overcoming quality challenges in cellulosic chemical recycling. 

Textile-to-textile recycling from cotton textiles can be done either mechanically or chemically. In chemical textile recycling of cotton there are challenges to overcome in order to regenerate new fibres. Two of the challenges among others are reactive dyes and wrinkle-free finishes that could disturb the regeneration process steps since these finishes are covalently linked to the cellulose.

This poster discusses the impact of using a novel alkaline/acid bleaching sequence to strip reactive dyes and wrinkle-free finish (DMDHEU) from cotton textile for production of regenerated viscose fibre properties. The results might generate a promising step forward to overcome quality challenges for cellulosic chemical recycling.

Huvudsyftet med arbetet var att främja ökad återvinning av textilt spill utan ökad spridning av giftiga ämnen eller minskad kvalitet. Arbetet har till stor del utförts genom fallstudier men även genom myndighetsdialoger, underlag till myndigheter och företag samt initiering av nya relevanta forskningsstudier.Målet i arbetspaket 3 Textil var att ta fram ett kvalificerat underlag för ökad användning av giftfri återvunnen textilråvara genom att studera och beskriva kunskapsläget samt ta fram ny kunskap och driva en aktiv dialog med relevanta aktörer inom fyra fokusområden:1. Spårbarhet2. Minskning av spill3. Teknikutveckling för återvinning av textil4. Återvinning på den svenska marknadenMålet har väl uppfyllts och projektet har bidragit till ökad kunskap om möjligheter för ökad användning av giftfri återvunnen textilråvara. Framförallt har fallstudier genererat detaljerad förståelse för vilka specifika utmaningar som är kopplade till olika textila material och fiberslag.Arbetet har utförts i tät samverkan och dialog med parter från textilbranchen: Boob, Filippa K, Gudrun Sjöden, Fjällräven och WRSD, Swegmarks, Ragnsells, Re:Newcell, samt några av deras leverantörer och flera medlemmar i Kemikaliegruppen på Swerea IVF.Projektet visar att materialspecifik kunskap och teknik är det viktigaste steget mot ökad återvinning av industriella restprodukter. Detta är således en förutsättning för att den sekundära råvaran ska ha ett tillräckligt värde och ändamålsenlig kvalitet. Dessa specifika aspekter kommer att studeras vidare inom efterföljand

Hållbar utveckling innefattar såväl social, ekonomisk som miljömässig hållbar utveckling.

I Miljöhandboken kommer dessa tre aspekter av hållbar utveckling att behandlas,

dock ligger störst fokus på miljöaspekterna.

Miljöhandboken ska hjälpa upphandlare att ställa relevanta miljökrav vid upphandling

och är ett komplement till exempelvis Konkurrensverkets (f.d. Miljöstyrningsrådets)

upphandlingskriterier och ska bidra med fakta kring hur miljökrav kan ställas.

Miljökrav vid upphandling kan innefatta bl. a. energianvändning, livslängd, skadliga

ämnen, strålning, återvinning och miljöledningssystem. Kravens betydelse påverkas

bl. a. av upphandlingens omfattning och miljömognaden inom produktsegmentet. I

miljöhandboken presenteras inga specifika kriterier eller gränsvärden för olika miljöaspekter,

i stället ges länkar till exempelvis lagstiftning, myndigheter och miljömärkningar.

Detta för att kriterier och gränsvärden uppdateras kontinuerligt som en följd

av teknikutveckling men också för att den samlade kunskapen om vad som är miljöproblem

ständigt växer och kan ge upphov till nya kriterier och gränsvärden. Tyngdpunkten

i denna handbok ligger på miljöpåverkan ur ett livscykelperspektiv, vilket innebär

att hänsyn tas till miljöpåverkan från utvinning av råmaterial till resthantering av

en produkt.