Neumag BCF Line Successfully Processes 100% Recycled Carpet Material Into BCF Yarn
Barmag has successfully demonstrated the production of bulk continuous filament (BCF) yarn using 100% recycled polyester carpet material on its Neumag BCF line, marking an important step toward achieving closed-loop recycling in the carpet industry.
The development was carried out through a collaborative project involving Object Carpet GmbH, the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA), and Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR). The initiative aimed to evaluate whether post-consumer polyester carpet waste could be directly recycled into new carpet yarn without the use of virgin polymer.
Unlike conventional recycled polyester BCF yarn production, which primarily relies on recycled PET bottle flakes or pellets, the project focused on recycling carpet-to-carpet material, paving the way for a truly circular manufacturing model.
The trials were conducted at Barmag’s R&D Centre in Neumünster using the Neumag BCF production line. Designed with flexible process control and advanced parameter adjustment capabilities, the system proved capable of processing recycled polyester despite the challenges associated with variations in material quality.
During the trials, recycled PET obtained from Object Carpet’s 100% polyester NEOO carpet material was processed entirely without blending in virgin polymer. The production-scale tests confirmed that the recycled material could be successfully reintroduced into the spinning process to manufacture high-quality BCF yarn.
Commenting on the results, Dr. Kirsten Prehn, responsible for Neumag BCF processes, said that the quality of recycled material—particularly its viscosity and purity—plays a crucial role in ensuring process stability and yarn quality. She noted that the Neumag BCF system’s flexible process control enabled the team to adapt operating parameters to the specific characteristics of the recycled polymer, resulting in successful yarn production.
The recycled yarn was subsequently used to manufacture a carpet sample, demonstrating the practical feasibility of a genuine carpet-to-carpet recycling loop. The successful trials indicate that mono-material polyester carpets can be recycled into new carpet products without requiring the addition of virgin raw materials.
The project also highlighted areas for further optimisation, particularly in material preparation and process control, to ensure stable large-scale industrial production. According to Barmag, the adaptability of the Neumag BCF platform will be instrumental in supporting future developments in textile recycling technologies.
As sustainability and circularity become increasingly important across the global textile industry, the successful processing of 100% recycled carpet material into BCF yarn represents a significant milestone in advancing closed-loop polyester recycling and reducing dependence on virgin fossil-based resources.
