An AI-powered recycling system at the Rochester Institute of Technology can identify non-recyclable components of clothing and can detect the fiber composition of the whole item. | Kostikova Natalia/Shutterstock
Researchers at the Rochester Institute of Technology are developing a high-speed automated system to disassemble and recycle clothing.
The process uses lasers and an AI-system to identify non-recyclable materials and cut them off the recyclable cloth, then sorts the cloth to be recycled. The system can identify large non-recyclable parts, like buttons and zippers, and find the fiber composition of the whole item, according to an article by RIT.
The system uses an AI program developed by research team members Sri Priya Das and associate research professor Abu Islam. The AI can recognize details such as logos, collars, and cuffs to identify what the item might be.
The process uses three infrared cameras to create a three-dimensional composition map. According to the article, the fully automated system can process each item in 10 seconds and is designed to be replicable and scalable to the clothing industry.
“Today, recyclers prefer post-industrial fabrics because of their predictable material properties,” program manager Mark Wallak said in the article. “We’re working to advance beyond that step by transforming post-consumer clothing into high-quality, reliable feedstock also. This makes these materials not only viable, but preferable, helping divert them from landfills.”
According to the article, researchers are working alongside clothing manufacturers to develop this system. The nonprofit Goodwill provides clothing for testing, and sportswear giant Nike gave industry advice to make the process replicable in the project’s early stages. Researchers are also working with Ambercycle, a textile recycler that works to make polyester manufacturing carbon-neutral.
The project is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the REMADE Institute, an organization that works with corporations and funds research to create sustainable manufacturing practices. The RIT researchers presented the project at the REMADE Institute’s 2023 conference.
“The advent of ‘fast fashion’ in the 20th century transformed how we buy, wear, and get rid of clothes,” the REMADE institute wrote in a summary of the conference. “While some post-consumer clothes get reused, most end up in landfills or are incinerated.”
Textile recycling continues to prove challenging to scale up, as many clothes use multiple materials. In 2018, 11.3 million tons of clothing and footwear went to landfills, making up 7.7% of all municipal landfill waste that year, according to the EPA. In the same year, less than 15% of textiles were recycled.
As of last month, the project is doing pilot tests of the system and expects to begin deploying the process this year. According to the RIT article, the technology has already found interest from recycling companies in the U.S. and internationally.