If reuse (after repair) is not possible, then recycling is a valuable option. In the case of textiles, GAIA distinguishes between fiber-to-fiber recycling or recycling for other applications such as material reuse for new products.

Logos and recognizable features are always removed and destroyed!

At this moment, the vast majority of our sorted textiles are turned into fibers. Partly for use in the automotive industry and part is processed into new yarns, tailored to the specifications of our partners and end customers. GAIA circular is also involved in several projects, where after yarn-to-yarn recycling, new products are made again on an industrial scale. Think of our own sustainable work sock equipped with a Digital Product Passport (C_passport®, developed in collaboration with Cirmar). This way, we close the loop – from workplace back to raw material.

The remaining PPE streams such as glasses and helmets are manually dismantled, allowing for the separation of different material streams (metal, textiles, plastics, and rubbers). This is done in collaboration with social work partners (such as Stichting Mazzel).

Work shoes are sorted into different factions such as leather, textiles, plastics, or other materials. The goal of GAIA circular is to build its own line in the town of Merzig (D) where we will start recycling work shoes initially by the end of 2027 or early 2028.

For the processing of materials into new raw materials, GAIA circular collaborates with Agricon Nederland B.V. Agricon coordinates recycling streams within a wide European network of specialized processors and recyclers. Thanks to this collaboration, we can guarantee that the collected materials are reused as high-quality as possible.