article · Journal of Industrial Textiles
The global textile sector generates millions of tonnes of waste and heavy greenhouse gas emissions each year. Repurposing cotton waste, including fibres, yarns, fabrics, and apparel, offers an important pathway towards resource conservation and sustainable manufacturing. Recycled cotton fibres are biodegradable, readily available, and cost-effective, showing particular promise as reinforcements in green composite materials. Mechanical, chemical, and biological recycling methods, along with the equipment and processes they require, enable the transformation of this waste into biobased composites and nonwovens. These recycled materials have potential uses across diverse sectors, including automotive manufacturing, construction, agriculture, furniture, packaging, sports, and hygiene products. While technical challenges remain and further research is necessary to utilise the material fully, evaluating these processes through life cycle assessments supports circular economy practices and creates economic and environmental opportunities.
Textile manufacturing contributes substantially to worldwide pollution and landfill build-up. Identifying viable routes to regenerate cotton waste into practical materials helps curb industrial emissions and reduces demand for virgin resources. Outlining how cotton fibres can be recycled into functional composites supports the transition towards a circular economy across industries that rely heavily on conventional, resource-intensive materials.
The research highlights application opportunities for manufacturers in automotive, packaging, construction, agriculture, and hygiene seeking biobased composites and nonwovens. Because this work is a synthesis of current processes and notes that further research is essential to fully understand and utilise recycled cotton as a reinforcement, the technology appears to be in an early to applied research phase rather than directly ready for widespread commercial adoption.
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The textile industry is one of the largest contributors to global pollution, generating substantial greenhouse gas emissions and millions of tonnes of waste annually. Addressing this environmental challenge through innovative regeneration strategies and using textile waste, particularly cotton, has emerged as a critical focus for resource conservation and sustainable development. Recycled cotton fibers, characterized by their biodegradability, availability, and cost-effectiveness, hold significant promise as reinforcement materials in green composites, though further research is essential to understand and utilize their potential fully. This comprehensive review examines the various types and sources of cotton waste, including fibers, yarns, fabrics, and apparel, and explores the technologies, methods, processes, and equipment employed in their waste recycling process. The paper also discusses the environmental impact of cotton waste and highlights how life cycle assessment and recycling practices enhance sustainability within a circular economy framework. Besides, it systematically discusses mechanical, chemical, and biological recycling processes and the application of recycled cotton waste in developing sustainable, biobased composites and nonwovens for industries such as automotive, construction, agriculture, health and hygiene, furniture, sports, and packaging. Additionally, the paper addresses the technical challenges, trends, and issues in cotton waste recycling, as well as the economic and environmental opportunities it presents. By providing an up-to-date synthesis of cotton waste recycling technologies, management, and applications, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, promoting innovation and advancing circular textile production systems.
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DOI: 10.1177/15280837251348663
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