When it comes to post-consumer waste fiber, size matters!
Short fibers are bad, long fibers are good. I’ve learned this from making denim paper from old jeans. Chopping the denim up in a blender only results in weak, rough paper. To make fine, strong paper you need to PULL the denim apart keeping the cotton fibers as close to their original length as possible.
This is because long fibers overlap each other more, creating more friction, and a stronger interlock.
The same principle also applies to manufacturing clothing using post-consumer waste.
Too many short fibers makes for a weak fabric that is easily torn. Currently however, the only means to process PCW on a commercial scale significantly reduces the length of the original filament. This is why PCW content in clothing is limited to around 20-30%. The rest has to be made up from longer, virgin fiber.
So you can make paper from clothing, but not clothing from clothing - how so? The answer lies with the afore mentioned culprit - “commercial scale”: I’m fairly confident I could load up a Hollander Beater with a couple of pairs of old jeans, and process long fibers (around 30 mm) that a denim mill could then use to make fabric. But it will have needed around 4 hours in the Beater using a lot of water and electricity, for a relatively small amount of material - it just wouldn’t be efficient.
That said, I have no doubt there are denim mills working on a commercial solution to this problem. Whoever cracks it first will be able to offer a strong, sustainable fabric made from 100% PCW. Closed loop Denim - now doesn’t that sound good? I’ve even heard a rumour one mill is getting close!
Hopefully we won’t have to wait too LONG! Anyone…?
