Polyester recycling plant opens in Kettering to tackle UK textile waste

A polyester recycling plant which supplies raw material from garments back into the fashion and textiles industries has begun operations in Kettering.

The joint venture between Salvation Army Trading Company and Project Plan B, known as Project Re:claim, is the first commercial-scale, post-consumer polyester recycling plant of its kind.

Many garments and other textile products are not designed with ‘end of life’ in mind and most cannot be recycled, adding to the textile waste problem. Project Re:claim aims to open up opportunities for textiles to be designed for purpose, without any compromise to fashion, performance or the environment.

As part of the venture, Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL) has set up the new technology at one of their processing centres.

Tim Cross, chief executive of Project Plan B, said: “In the UK alone, 300,000 tonnes of textile items are discarded into household waste, including polyester. Up until now, polyester that had no useful life left would have been disposed of.

"With this project, we can now save that waste and return it to supply chains. It’s a carbon saving, planet saving solution, and it plays a significant role in helping our collective journey to Net Zero.”

The machine was installed in January this year and is now fully operational, with polyester pellets being produced from the polyester waste. The plant is on track to recycle about 2,500 tonnes of unwanted polyester this year, with a further 5,000 tonnes in year two, and creates polyester pellets which can be spun into yarn for use in textiles along with other industrial applications. The pellets are then expected to be integrated into the manufacturing processes of new products later this year.

Majonne Frost, head of environment and sustainability at SATCoL, said: “This partnership brings together the large-scale collection and processing capabilities of The Salvation Army, with the cutting-edge technology developed by Project Plan B and PURE LOOP. Together we are working together to bring new solutions and services, at scale, that will help create a textile circular economy.”