Nylon From Tyres
Tyres to Nylon with Basf and Fulgar
Man-made textiles specialist Fulgar is marketing its most experimental innovation yet, aimed at establishing a cross-industry recycling standard.
Called O-Cycle, Fulgar’s new nylon 6.6 yarn is crafted from tyre waste. It is the result of a partnership with German-based public company Basf, which provided the technology to turn tyres destined for landfill (sic) into brand new materials to be channelled into the apparel industry.
The repurposed nylon preserves the same features — such as resilience and elasticity, non-allergenic properties and resistance to mould, bacteria, and insects — as virgin nylon. This is achieved thanks to the high-tech ChemCycling process, as part of which tyres are broken down into their original components, such as coke, gas, and pyrolysis oil, via pyrolysis.
“There are many recycled nylons 6 on the market, but this innovation represents the first of its kind when it comes to nylon 6.6,” said Fulgar head of marketing Alan Garosi.
The process presents quite a few challenges, including the collection of waste tyres, but it is opening up a new standard for potential cross-industry recycling methods.
“Together with Fulgar we’re entering the textile sector and it’s a milestone,” said Marina Favretto, key account manager at Basf. “Nylon 6.6 is already widespread in other industries, including engineering plastics, industrial productions, such as airbag manufacturing.
“We’re already spinning this new nylon because we’re confident enough about its quality and we’re already taking it to an industrial level,” Garosi said. The O-Cycle yarn is expected to sell at around 50 per cent more than non-sustainable nylons but still within a price range that is attractive for mass market players.
Source: Global Circulate
