A Great Future For Recycled Yarns… But What About The Costs?

Expert Panel Discusses Yarn Production from Recycled Material

Uster Technologies brought together textile industry leaders to discuss the current challenges and opportunities in using recycled raw materials. A delegation of spinners from India met with experts from Rieter, Säntis-Textiles, Otto Yarns, Gherzi Textile Organization, and TVU at Uster headquarters in Switzerland. This article summarizes the key takeaways from the discussion, covering both the sustainability and business aspects of recycled yarns.

Improving Quality in Recycled Yarn Production
The panelists shared differing views on how to succeed with recycled yarns. Michael Will, Head of Textile Technology & Process Analytics at Rieter, suggested that the quality of recycled yarn could be improved by adding an extra step between mechanical opening and spinning. He noted that this pre-opening or carding process could be handled by fiber suppliers rather than spinners.

Andreas Merkel, CEO of Otto Yarns, anticipated better results with pre-consumer fibers, while noting that post-consumer waste remains a challenging raw material despite its large availability. He expressed optimism about future opportunities but acknowledged that progress will take time.

Stefan Hutter, Owner of Säntis-Textiles, is confident that recycled material will eventually become a standard in the industry. He expects two distinct growth segments: one based on industrial waste and the other on post-consumer waste. While significant groundwork has already been done, he believes it’s still an ideal time to enter the market.

Challenges in Trading and Dyeing
From a trading and dyeing perspective, the quality and sourcing of recycled yarns remain challenging. Thomas Franz, Sales and Purchasing Manager at TVU, explained that yarn properties from recycled fibers are not comparable with virgin fibers, particularly for cotton. He noted that dyeing results and process efficiency are more challenging with recycled cotton than with polyester.

Who Pays for Sustainable Yarns?
Producers agreed that recycled yarn will always have a cost disadvantage compared to virgin fibers. The key question is whether consumers’ expectations around quality and price for recycled garments can be adjusted.

Giuseppe Gherzi, Managing Partner at Gherzi Textile Organization, argued that the real issue lies with retailers and fashion brands, which are not yet willing to pay more for recycled garments. He emphasized that the power for change lies in legislation, but acknowledged the uncertainty and added costs involved in implementing regulatory controls.

Traceability in Recycled Yarn
Technologies to verify recycled products are already available, and Uster’s Research & Development team is working on enhancing this capability. It is possible to track the lifecycle of recycled items, such as denim, from their first to third use. However, the cost of implementing traceability and whether brands are willing to pay for it remain open questions.

Michael Will noted that technological advancements in combing could enable a 50/50 recycled and virgin fiber blend to become 40/60 without necessarily requiring disclosure. The panel agreed that using a certain percentage of lower-cost recycled fibers should become standard practice as long as quality requirements are met, without the need for additional proof.

Certification adds further costs for yarn producers, as plants, raw material shipments, and final product shipments all need to be certified. Merkel suggested that the market could evolve into two segments: a mass market for cost-effective yarns with recycled fibers but no certification, and a smaller market where certification is essential. He highlighted the misconception that recycled yarns should be cheaper when, in reality, they often come at a higher cost.

Path to Profitability
Optimizing and shortening yarn production processes will be key to making recycled yarns profitable. Hutter believes that costs will decrease once market demand increases and more recycled material becomes available — similar to the trend seen with polyester. He stressed that the market is ready for recycled products.

Spinners are encouraged to start with a certain blend of recycled material and gradually refine the process over time. Testing and analysis will be crucial to developing high-quality recycled yarns at a competitive cost.

The panel discussion is available in full, including the outlook over a time period of five years to those interested in more details. Access the video via this link – https://web.uster.com/cn/atddp/paneldiscussionvideo