Tex2AM: New Danish project to turn textile waste into 3D printing
A new Danish development project will investigate whether textile waste that is difficult to recycle can be given new life as 3D printing material. The project, known as Tex2AM, brings together partners from both industry and research with a shared goal of creating more sustainable production methods and reducing the amount of textile waste in Denmark and Europe.
Each European uses an average of 19 kg of clothing, footwear and household textiles per year, but only 2.3 kg-equivalent to around 12%-is actually recycled. The rest is incinerated, landfilled or sent abroad-and that is a major problem for both the climate and the environment. But what if that waste could become something new?
That is what the project Tex2AM will seek to find answers to. Through an advanced thermomechanical process, the project will investigate whether textile waste with a high polyester content-which is otherwise difficult to recycle-can be converted into plastic-based filament for FDM-based 3D printing. The process includes, among other things, mechanical pre-treatment and extrusion, in which the fibres are broken down, cleaned and converted into a new composite material with the right technical properties for industrial additive manufacturing.
The aim is to develop a recycled filament that matches or complements existing plastic materials in terms of strength, flow properties and printability, while also being able to be integrated into existing production set-ups. If successful, it could replace virgin plastic in industrial production and thereby give textile waste an entirely new life.
Behind the project is a strong Danish consortium consisting of Dansk AM Hub, DTU and the companies NewRetex, Eldan, Nordic Extrusion and MDT-with support from Trace and Innovation Fund Denmark.
“We see enormous potential in thinking of textile waste as a valuable resource. With Tex2AM, we can both reduce waste volumes, decrease the need for new plastic and at the same time strengthen local, circular production in Denmark. This is exactly the type of projects we need if we are to make the green transition concrete and applicable for Danish industry,” says Frank Rosengreen Lorenzen, CEO of Dansk AM Hub.
From waste to innovation
The project runs until March 2027 and aims not only to develop a new material-but also to identify concrete industrial applications and develop a business model that makes it attractive for Danish companies to use it.
To ensure industrial relevance, the project will incorporate input from manufacturing companies to identify applications where the material can replace existing plastic types-for example in component production, prototyping or specialised assembly equipment. At the same time, different filament diameters, separation methods and additives will be tested to improve stability and performance in the printing process.
“There is a large, untapped potential in converting complex textile waste into high-value materials for 3D printing. With Tex2AM, we are investigating how, through mechanical pre-treatment and extrusion, it is possible to develop a plastic-based composite material that both reuses waste and meets the technical requirements of industrial additive manufacturing. It is an important bridge between waste resources and circular, digital production,” says Senior Researcher Venkata K. Nadimpalli, DTU Construct.
About Tex2AM
Tex2AM (Textile to Additive Manufacturing) is a Danish development project that explores the possibilities of converting polyester-containing textile waste into plastic-based filament for 3D printing. The project is led by Dansk AM Hub in collaboration with DTU, NewRetex, Eldan, Nordic Extrusion and MDT. Tex2AM is supported and funded by Trace and Innovation Fund Denmark and runs until March 2027.
Read more about the project here.
