Avantium, in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam’s Industrial Sustainable Chemistry group and led by CTO Gert-Jan Gruter, has developed a proprietary process to separate cotton from polycotton blends. This method, which converts cotton into glucose using hydrochloric acid while preserving the polyester, represents the first technique capable of recycling both materials simultaneously. It offers a promising solution to the growing textile waste crisis and is detailed in Nature Communications.
The process involves treating polycotton waste with highly concentrated hydrochloric acid to hydrolyse the cotton cellulose fully into glucose. The solid polyester residue is then separated and can be entirely recycled. The extracted glucose has potential applications in producing polymers, resins, solvents, and Avantium’s key product, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA).
Gruter highlighted the significance of this breakthrough, stating, “We are excited about this groundbreaking solution, which not only provides feedstock for our own FDCA and PEF technology and aligns with our environmental objectives but also marks a crucial advancement towards achieving a circular economy. At Avantium, we are committed to perfecting this technology in collaboration with partners and broadening its application to address the global textile waste problem. Simultaneously, we aim to supply non-food glucose to support the large-scale transition towards a bio-based economy.”
The company’s Dawn Technology plays a crucial role in this development, converting non-food plant-based feedstocks into valuable materials like glucose and lignin. Operating at Avantium’s pilot plant in Delfzijl, the technology enables glucose production for bio-based plastics and other sustainable products.
Successful trials conducted in Avantium’s laboratories and at the Delfzijl pilot plant have demonstrated the method’s effectiveness on post-consumer polycotton textiles, yielding high glucose output and indicating its scalability and cost efficiency.
With textile production expected to reach 149 million tonnes by 2030 and current recycling rates below 1%, Avantium’s technology presents a sustainable alternative for a circular, low-carbon textile industry. This innovation aligns with new regulations holding textile producers accountable for waste management.
As part of this initiative, Avantium has hosted PhD students from the University of Amsterdam’s Industrial Sustainable Chemistry research group at its laboratories and pilot plant. The company continues to pioneer sustainable materials through its technologies, including YXY Technology, which converts plant-based sugars into FDCA at its pilot facility in Geleen, the Netherlands.