Difficult-To-Recycle Textiles Find New Use In Technical Boards

Galician companies BIRDMIND and Insertega are exploring how textile waste that is unsuitable for conventional recycling could be used in technical boards. The collaboration focuses on recovered fibres with mixed compositions, coatings or other treatments that prevent them from being turned into new textiles.

The proposed boards are intended for furniture, wall coverings, displays, retail interiors, contract projects and architectural applications. By creating an alternative route for complex textile waste, the companies aim to retain its value as a raw material and extend its useful life.

From Textile Fibres To Interior Materials

Insertega specialises in sorting, recovering and preparing textile waste. Its facilities cover more than 6,000 square metres and can process up to 7,000 garments per hour. The company also works with a network of more than 300 partner organisations.

BIRDMIND contributes its experience in developing circular materials from waste streams. The company previously created Rice Tab, a patented board made using agricultural residues. For the new project, its laboratory analyses the properties of different textile waste streams and investigates how the recovered fibres can be incorporated into technical boards.

The development process includes evaluating the boards’ performance and their suitability for industrial production. According to BIRDMIND, the first prototypes have already been produced and certified for their quality and intended applications. The company also reports that it has the capacity to manufacture the material at an industrial scale.

Up To 30 Kilograms Of Textile Waste Per Board

The quantity and type of textile fibres used depend on the characteristics of the available waste. Individual boards can contain up to 30 kilograms of recovered fibres, which the companies estimate is equivalent to approximately 250 T-shirts.

The project is not intended to replace established textile recycling methods. Instead, it addresses fractions that cannot currently be recycled into new fabric. Transforming these fibres into durable interior and construction products could complement existing recycling routes while reducing the amount of material that loses its economic value.

An Open Development Platform

Rather than presenting the initiative as a single finished product, BIRDMIND and Insertega describe it as an open development platform. Brands, manufacturers and other organisations can contribute their own material streams for analysis and investigate possible applications with the companies.

The collaboration also connects Galicia’s textile industry with regional expertise in waste recovery and material production. This combination could support further development of circular materials for architecture, interiors and furniture.

Source & photos: BIRDMIND / Insertega