Preparing the waste materials
The "Liloop" project, which loops (circulates) linen, involves a preparation stage before the recycling–blending–spinning process introduced last time.
The recycled inputs now being used are various discarded fabrics generated at the distribution stage. These fabrics differ in their time of production, intended use, and the customers who originally commissioned them, and thus are not finished in the same way. Some may have been treated with different finishing chemicals or solvents—like “makeup”—and their recipes are never uniform.
(Photo: collected linen waste)
Careful work for stable quality
If such finishing agents remain, even after the fabric is recycled into cotton-like fiber, they can cause unstable quality. For example, when dyeing later, uneven coloration may occur.
To address this, Ocho Co., Ltd. introduced a “washing” process before recycling, to remove solvents and maintain consistent base quality.
This is similar to carefully stripping varnish when restoring antique furniture. Returning materials to their “original state” is essential. Though the effect is not always visible, such preparation is crucial for quality.
Through the ingenuity of the technicians at this processing plant, "Liloop" achieved the maximum linen blend ratio of 50%, balanced with 50% organic cotton.
The environmental awareness required by our era is bringing together knowledge from many fields. By pooling their expertise, technicians are giving rise to new circular materials—this is the essence of Liloop’s technology.
(Daitoh)
