Israeli startup transforms discarded clothes into sustainable plastic products

An Israeli startup is working on a unique method to create new plastic items using old clothes that are often thrown away. This startup, called TextRe, takes synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon from discarded textiles and combines them with specific materials, including a reduced amount of plastic and other undisclosed substances, to make plastic pellets.

This process can easily be integrated into plastic manufacturing company production lines. These companies can mix the pellets with new polymers to create plastic products that are more environmentally friendly. TextRe’s goal is to replace new materials with recycled ones while maintaining important characteristics like elasticity and durability, according to Lee Cohen, the co-founder and CEO of TextRe.

Unlike other methods, TextRe doesn’t require the meticulous separation of synthetic fibers to turn them into new products. This means less time and effort is needed compared to recycling them into lower-quality items. The startup has successfully demonstrated that it can transform these separated fibers into pellets. These pellets are then used to mold new plastic products.

In fact, TextRe has developed prototypes of several plastic pellets that have the potential to be used in creating new items. Cohen explains that since a lot of our clothing is made from plastic materials like polyester, it made sense for them to find ways to reuse it for applications in the plastic industry.