The project’s results are regularly updated on this page. Here, you can follow the experiences, insights, and results generated through the project’s activities and tests. The materials will be available for download so that knowledge and learning can be shared and applied in efforts to create more circular textile value chains.
Textile collection is being tested in practice in various municipal settings. Different methods are being tested and compared, ranging from traditional drop-off solutions to more data-driven approaches such as smart collection systems.
The work is based on specific testing procedures, in which factors such as moisture, sortability, and handling have been shown to have a significant impact on the quality of the collected textiles. These details directly influence the subsequent opportunities for reuse and recycling.
The key deliverables include documented tests, comparable data across municipalities, and a practical field guide for data collection.
The goal is to develop collection solutions that support the entire value chain and can be implemented in various geographical and organizational contexts.
You can download the preliminary results for the municipalities here.
Pre-sorting is central to the project. All collected textiles are processed and assessed with a focus on their best possible next step: reuse, repair, redesign, or recycling.
The work combines manual sorting with skills development and testing of technologies such as AI and NIR. Initial findings show that small practical details in the handling process have a significant impact on both efficiency and quality.
The key deliverables include test results from pre-sorting, recommendations for workflows, and an evaluation of the technology’s role in the process. The work is closely linked to the data collection phase to highlight the relationship between input and output.
The goal is to develop robust and scalable methods for pre-sorting that can improve quality and ensure that more textiles remain in the circular economy.
The SorTex Pre-Sorting Image Dataset contains images from the initial sorting of collected textiles and is used to develop and test AI solutions capable of identifying textiles, non-textiles, and products such as shoes and accessories.
The dataset can be downloaded here.