Queensland-based clean technology company, BlockTexx, which recovers polyester and cellulose from textiles and clothing, has won the Banksia National Sustainability Gold Award.
Held at a gala event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)on 8 April, the Banksia National Sustainability Awards continues to showcase and celebrate innovative, impactful solutions to the sustainability challenges of our times.
BlockTexx has created an innovative solution to tackle a huge problem – how to recycle clothes made from a mix of polyester and cotton. Most of these fabrics end up in landfills because they are so hard to recycle.
Using its special technology, BlockTexx breaks down these clothes and turns them into two useful materials – recycled polyester (PolyTexx) and cellulose (CellTexx), which can be reused in new products.
Recently, Pact Group started a partnership with BlockTexx to explore the development of a garment collection and recycling operations for fashion brands and clothing retailers in Australia, with the view to potentially developing a recycled polymer that could be used in packaging applications.
The Banksia Foundation’s judging panel, made up of esteemed sustainability experts, praised BlockTexx on its extensive R&D efforts to solve the growing textile waste issue – globally predicted to hit 140 million tonnes by 2030, with Australians among the worst offenders.
BlockTexx recycling plant in Loganholme, Queensland can handle 10,000 tonnes of fabric every year (equivalent to 8000 shirts an hour), keeping mountains of clothes out of landfills.
The company uses blockchain technology to track every step of the recycling process, making sure nothing goes to waste.
“BlockTexx is leading efforts to make the fashion and textile industry circular – their work shows how smart ideas can turn old clothes into something valuable,” said Graz van Egmond, CEO of the Banksia Foundation.
“They embody the innovation, passion and impact that the Banksia Foundation has showcased for 36 years.”
BlockTexx first won the Circular Economy category, sponsored by MCEC, before being selected as the top of the 14 category award winners.
