A circular economy approach on the transformation of post industrial textile waste into materials for additive manufacturing and building insulation

This project aims to develop a circular economy approach by repurposing synthetic textile offcuts into filaments for additive manufacturing, and into fiber-based materials for building insulation. Additionally, the feasibility and environmental implications of this transformation must be evaluated to determine its sustainability.
The partner organization, Vestechpro (Quebec), a research center specializing in clothing and apparel, in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, seeks to develop a sustainable strategy for sustainable managing and repurposing their production textile waste. The project focuses on transforming synthetic textile waste into 3D printing materials to mitigate its environmental impact, divert it from landfills, extend its life, and provide an alternative to virgin plastics, thereby improving their sustainable practices. Complementing this effort, a parallel development led by Vestechpro and SEREX (Quebec) explores the mechanical fiberization of textile waste for its potential use as thermal insulation. Through an optimized shredding-defibration process, the project aims to produce recycled fibrous materials with properties potentially comparable to cellulose wadding.
By investigating the viability of converting synthetic textile waste into plastic-based materials, this project aims to promote more sustainable industrial practices and open new pathways for applications of recycled materials in the context of circular economy.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lucas Hof

Student:

Partner:

Vestechpro

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

École de technologie supérieure

Program: