Contact person
Abhilash Sugunan
Projektledare
Contact Abhilash
Photo:
Abhilash Sugunan
Polycotton becomes household products
The amount of textile waste consisting of polyester–cotton blends (polycotton) is close to one hundred million tonnes annually, most of which is currently incinerated or sent to landfill. The household products industry, in turn, relies largely on virgin fossil-based plastics, amounting to hundreds of millions of tonnes globally.
Polycotton is a blend of cotton and polyester fibres, combining the comfort and breathability of cotton with the durability and wrinkle resistance of polyester. This results in a strong, low-maintenance fabric with reduced shrinkage and faster drying, commonly used in workwear, home textiles and technical applications.
Following the successful completion of the Fashion2House project, we are now moving forward with its outcomes to further develop the demonstrators, ideas, and insights that were generated. Step 2 of Fashion2House aims to demonstrate a circular manufacturing chain in which discarded polycotton textiles are transformed into sustainable components for household products. The project focuses on scaling up the process to pilot level, including industrial production, product optimisation, and supply‑chain verification, from waste handling to finished product.
Fashion2House step 1:
In 2024, 92 million tonnes of textile waste were generated globally, half of it polycotton. The Fashion to House project is an open‑loop recycling initiative converting polycotton waste from the fashion industry into durable composite panels for household products. Step 1 (Oct 2024–Oct 2025) focused on feasibility, developing core technology, assessing sustainability and regulations, and aligning stakeholders. During this phase, the consortium produced proof‑of‑concept panels with plastic‑comparable mechanical performance and defined scale‑up needs. Policy reviews and preliminary sustainability assessments also supported the work.
Final Report step 1
Final Report step 1 (pdf, 821.68 KB)
Summary
Project name
Polycotton becomes household products
Status
Active
Region
Region Stockholm
RISE role in project
Coordinator
Project start
Duration
2 years
Total budget
6 544 088 SEK
Partner
AB Electrolux, H & M Hennes & Mauritz GBC AB, The Loop Factory AB, Wargön Innovation AB
Funders
Net Zero Industry: A joint initiative of the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and Vinnova.
Coordinators
RISE Research Institute of Sweden AB
Project members
Abhilash Sugunan Mattias Wennerstål Marie-Claude Béland Stina Björquist Amanda Bakos Kristina Andersson
Supports the UN sustainability goals
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
12. Responsible consumption and production
