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Consortium comprising GIZ, others to address textile waste in Cambodia

19
Oct '21

Pic: German Embassy Phnom Penh

An international consortium initiated by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ FABRIC project), the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited (HKRITA), Chip Mong Insee, Dakota Industrial, H&M Foundation and VF Corporation recently announced an ambitious project to address textile waste in Cambodia.

A feasibility study is being launched to deploy The Green Machine—the world’s first recycling technology that can recycle blend textiles at scale—in the country by 2022, the German embassy in Cambodia said in a press release.

GIZ through its FABRIC project, which is implemented on behalf of the German ministry for economic cooperation and development (BMZ), brought together all key partners along the garment supply chain to assess the industrial scale development of the Green Machine in Cambodia.

The Green Machine, developed by HKRITA with support from H&M Foundation, is the world’s first technology that can separate and recycle polyester/cotton blend textiles at scale without any quality loss.

Recycling of single materials has long been possible, but the recycling of blends—and cotton and polyester blends being the world’s most common type of textile—has not.

The Green Machine uses only heat, water and less than 15 per cent of a biodegradable chemical to separate cotton and polyester materials in a closed loop system.

“Our aim is to develop technologies and solutions that can have a positive impact on our planet, and the Green Machine is an excellent example of that. The continuously growing demand for this solution will drive change and generate value for the entire fashion and textile industry,” says Edwin Keh, chief executive officer of HKRITA.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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