Motivation

Global textile production has doubled in the last twenty years, reaching a significant market value in 2023 with continuous growth anticipated until 2030. However, this increase in production has resulted in a low recycling rate of textile waste, with more than 85% of textile products ending up in landfills or being incinerated. This problem is particularly worrying for articles containing textiles in their composition, such as luggage, upholstered furniture such as sofas, chairs and car seats, where textiles are glued to wood, rigid plastic or metal structures.  

The fundamental motivation is to address the challenge of recycling complex textile products that generate huge volumes of waste by developing innovative and sustainable solutions for bonding and separating these materials. This project aims to formulate and validate reversible adhesives for application in the textile sector. By developing these reversible adhesives, the efficiency of the manufacturing process will be improved, and the amount of waste sent to landfills or incinerators will be significantly reduced. In addition, the project will explore the extraction of the necessary additives from waste, reflecting a commitment to the circular economy and environmental sustainability.