Research centre for recycling processes of cotton/PET blended fabrics at the Biotech Campus Tulln
Josef Ressel Centre ReSTex – Recovery Strategies for Textiles (FH Wiener Neustadt)
Biotech Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Straße 10, 3430 Tulln (FH Wiener Neustadt), ATNew on Amplifa
About ReSTex
The Josef Ressel Centre ReSTex (Recovery Strategies for Textiles) is a research centre at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt funded by the Christian Doppler Research Association, located at the Biotech Campus Tulln. The team develops new process designs for the recycling of cotton/PET blended fabrics (polycotton). Two recycling routes are being explored: the selective dissolution of cellulose-containing mixed textiles to separate the cotton and PET fractions in polymer form, and biotechnological cellulose hydrolysis into fermentable carbohydrates. Methodologically, spectral analysis with an AI-supported database, pretreatment methods, special cellulose solvents, enzymatic hydrolysis and enzyme screening are used; in later phases, scaling up to pilot scale is planned. The work is accompanied by economic and ecological research including Life Cycle Analysis. Scientific partners are two institutes of BOKU University Vienna and one institute of TU Wien; company partners are EREMA GmbH, Salesianer Miettex GmbH and Starlinger & Co GmbH.
- Site
- Tulln
- Processes
- Recycling of textiles (selective dissolution of cellulose blended fabrics, separation of cotton/PET), Cellulose hydrolysis using biotechnological methods (enzymatic hydrolysis), Spectral analysis of textile blended fabrics with AI-supported database, Extrusion (PET recycling, stabilisation of cellulose residues for the extrusion process), Research & development on textile recycling (cotton/PET blends), Selective dissolution of cellulose/PET blended fabrics, Biotechnological cellulose hydrolysis (fermentable carbohydrates), Spectral analysis database with AI processing
- Materials
- Cotton (cellulose), PET (polyester), Cotton (cellulose) / PET blended fabric, Cellulose
- Employees
- 2–10
- Industries
- Textile recycling, Textile manufacturing, Circular economy, PET recycling
- 01
Characterisation of the textile blended fabrics by spectral analysis with AI
- 02
Pretreatment of the textile blends
- 03
Selective dissolution with special cellulose solvents or enzymatic dissolution
- 04
Separation and purification of the PET fraction
- 05
Scaling up to pilot scale
- 06
Economic and ecological accompanying research (Life Cycle Analysis)
Materials & Processes
Cotton (cellulose) / PET blended fabric
Subject of investigation for the separation of polycotton blends into their individual fractions.
PET (polyester)
Separated fraction whose utilisation, among other things, is investigated in the extrusion process.
Cellulose
Is biotechnologically hydrolysed into fermentable carbohydrates or selectively dissolved.
Location
Biotech Campus Tulln
ATResearch centre (Josef Ressel Centre ReSTex) at FH Wiener Neustadt
- Materials
- Cotton (cellulose), PET
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycling of textiles (selective dissolution of cellulose blended fabrics, separation of cotton/PET)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Cotton, PET (polyester) |
| Cellulose hydrolysis using biotechnological methods (enzymatic hydrolysis)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Cellulose, PET (polyester) |
| Spectral analysis of textile blended fabrics with AI-supported databaseTesting | – | – | – | – | Cotton, PET (polyester) |
| Extrusion (PET recycling, stabilisation of cellulose residues for the extrusion process)Plastics | – | – | – | – | PET (polyester) |
Additional services
Reference customers
History
- 2023
Start of the Josef Ressel Centre ReSTex at the Biotech Campus Tulln (01.11.2023, funded by the Christian Doppler Research Association, duration until 31.10.2028)
- 2025
Participation in the exhibition 'More than Recycling' at the Technical Museum Vienna