Refelt

Inspiration

We want to find away to improve recycling processes and eliminate at least one material from traditional landfill waste streams. Clothes are especially challenging to dispose of because local and municipal recycling systems don't accept fabrics, and thrift stores dispose of 2/3 of the clothing donations they receive. We saw how garments live short lives, often ending up in a landfill not long after being manufactured, and we developed a solution to close the loop, diverting textile waste back into the production process instead of landfills. We were inspired by our track sponsor, Carter's, to investigate areas of waste creation in clothing retail particularly with baby and children's clothes, but we believe our solution is scalable, capable of connecting any company that produces textile waste to any company that wants more sustainable packaging.

What it does

Refelt converts waste textiles into packaging and usable fiber materials. Garments sorted using AI to scan and identify the material type. Synthetic materials, such as polyester, are used to produce packaging, and non-synthetic materials, such as cotton, are processed into usable material. Garments undergo manual force and pressure to be reduced to fibers. Binding agents are applied to synthetic fibers to form the packaging material. Non-synthetic materials are output in their reduced fiber form, where they can be repurposed or remanufactured.

The client will operate the processing in-house to create circularity directly within the retailer, eliminate external operation costs, and provide the client complete and direct access to the packaging materials they produce.

Challenges we ran into

A key challenge during this project was navigating the complexity of the textile supply chain. We analyzed both on-site and off-site implementation models, assessing cost allocation, logistics, and overall impact to determine which option would deliver the greatest value and efficiency.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of the research and analysis that went into developing Refelt. Through studying textile waste, recycling methods, and supply chain operations, we created a solution that turns discarded textiles into reusable materials, benefiting both manufacturers and the environment.

What we learned

Refelt taught us how waste can be transformed into a valuable resource. We learned about textile recycling, circular economy principles, and the importance of creating solutions that benefit both the environment and businesses.

What's next for Project REFELT

The next step for Refelt is to secure additional clients and pilot projects with specific companies. These partnerships will allow us to validate our solution, collect operational data, and demonstrate the value of converting textile waste into reusable materials within existing manufacturing facilities.