DOK-ING, in collaboration with Humana Nova from Cakovec, has successfully tested a pilot plant for processing waste textiles to produce hydrogen. 

The initiative, unveiled on April 30 at the project's final conference, is part of a €700,000 development project co-financed by the Norwegian Innovation Fund. The project aimed to create the first LOOPER plant for textile waste that intends to revolutionise current methods of incineration and landfilling.

“The global fashion industry annually generates over 92mn tonnes of textile waste, with less than 1% recycled into new clothing. Europe's per capita textile consumption rose from 10.1 kg in 2003 to 14.8 kg in 2020, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions. Our aim was to turn waste into a valuable raw material that generates new value,” stated Danica Maljkovic, director of energy and sustainability at DOK-ING.

The DOK-ING Indeloop team developed an innovation capable of processing one tonne of textiles daily, converting them into hydrogen, ash, and soot through gasification. This process emits no pollutants and the resulting ash can be repurposed for construction materials. Hydrogen derived from the process has versatile applications, contributing to a circular economy and environmental preservation.

The LOOPER plans to join a portfolio of green energy innovations including processing of non-recyclable plastics, municipal waste, sewage sludge, biowaste, and medical waste.