Sustainable green technology for recovery of cotton fibers and polyester from textile waste

    How many pairs of jeans do you own? Many? Imagine your discarded jeans aiding in the solution to the creation of a green, sustainable system for recovering polyester and cotton fibers from textile waste. 
    In this research article, the waste jeans are seen with the potential to develop into a sustainable source of raw cotton to accomplish various processes. The first stage of the process involved leaching nitric acid to remove textile colors from the jeans, then activated carbon to regenerate the used acid. Next, cotton and polyester were broken down and separated using a green switchable hydrophilicity solvent. CO2 was added to extract the polyester and regenerate the solvent. The solidified polyester was then collected by filtration and the solvent's form was changed back. 
    What I found most interesting about this article is how jeans came to be the main item of retrieval for the study, that's because it consumes more than twenty percent of cotton globally. This is an advancement in environmental science because now there's more than upcycling now there is a literal waste jean separation that can be a source of raw cotton that is sustainable. Now imagine this, your jeans now hold the ability to become an alternative product.

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