Commited to reduce textile waste

Here at Etfor, we see waste as a resource that can be transformed into new materials. One of our primary goals is to reverse the excessive accumulation of waste produced by the textile industry, and in this sense, we have been implementing effective measures that enable us to extend the life of clothing and combat and enhance the value of industrial waste.

We manage our waste carefully according to the type of material: textile, plastic, paper and cardboard, and metals.

Textile

The new textile industry should be increasingly aligned with the principles of the circular economy, becoming regenerative by design and beneficial to society and the environment. In this system, fibres, clothes and textiles are kept in circulation during their lifetime and reintroduced into the economy at the end of their cycle, never ending up as waste.

 

Produce only what is necessary

Since we work to order, our productions are managed efficiently, avoiding overproduction and the accumulation of a stock of unsold items.

Cutting-edge technology

In the cutting sector, we use advanced technology to optimise raw material consumption and combat textile waste.

Repair station

When a defective item is identified, it is forwarded to a specialised department, which tries to recover the item to be delivered to the customer accordingly. In 2022, more than 20,000 pieces were recovered.

We recycled 2 tons of textile waste in 2022.

TEXTILE SURPLUS → NEW PRODUCTS

In close collaboration with the in-house design team, surplus raw materials are transformed into new products.

WASTE → YARN

Part of the textile waste goes through an internal sorting process and then on to a treatment plant, where it is reused in new industrial circuits, such as the automotive sector, or converted back into yarn.

 

WASTE → ENERGY

The remaining textile waste that cannot be reused or recycled is sent for incineration.

Plastic

We have implemented various schemes to reduce plastic consumption:

1. Internally, we optimise processes to replace single-use plastics with more sustainable materials such as paper or textiles;
2. We work with specialised partners who sort, process and package by type of plastic;
3. We raise our customers’ awareness about the use of recyclable or compostable plastics in packaging;

The plastic waste we cannot recycle is sent to a controlled landfill.

Paper and Cardboard

The company has a station for managing paper and cardboard waste equipped with compacting presses. This means we can reduce the volume of waste and expedite the appropriate transportation and disposal process with certified recycling partners.

Subsequently, these materials are transformed into paper pulp to make new products and packaging.

Metals

All metal waste we use in our activity, such as needles or blades, is sent to partners specialising in treating this type of waste.

They are then melted down and transformed into new materials that can be used in other industries, particularly the construction industry.