trinamiX, a subsidiary of BASF based in Ludwigshafen, Germany, is helping manufacturers, recyclers, sorters, and brands improve material identification through its mobile near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technology. This solution supports better transparency across complex supply chains.

Adrian Vogel, circular economy segment lead at trinamiX, explained that while material innovation is shaping the future of textiles and footwear, it also adds complexity to the value chain. He stated that their mobile NIR spectroscopy solution offers a practical way for companies to improve transparency, reduce risks, and make better decisions related to recycling and circular economy practices.

The technology allows quick and reliable identification of commonly used footwear materials such as EVA, polyester, and PU within seconds and directly on-site. It can be used during raw material inspection, production processes, and also in sorting and recycling stages. This helps improve material separation, enhance quality control, and make recycling more efficient, while also reducing contamination and the need for manual sorting.

The textile industry faces similar challenges, especially with blended fabrics that are difficult to recycle and reuse. trinamiX’s solution helps identify different textile materials and blends, such as cotton/polyester and viscose/polyester. For simpler blends, it can also provide the percentage composition of each fibre.

The trinamiX system enables material identification with a single click. It combines a durable handheld spectrometer with an easy-to-use mobile app and a cloud-based data platform. This allows fast and non-destructive testing, even in challenging environments.