Textile Waste Used in Insulation Materials

A startup operating within Istanbul Technical University (ITU) ARI Teknokent has recycled 1.5 tons of textile waste into insulation materials within a year, bringing it back into the economy while preventing carbon emissions equivalent to the amount that approximately 200 trees could absorb.

While insulation is considered the key to energy savings, it is noteworthy that not every insulation material is environmentally friendly. This situation is increasing interest in alternative insulation products with lower environmental impact.

Beyza Aslan, Co-Founder of Biges Composite Company, which develops eco-friendly insulation materials within ITU ARI Teknokent, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that around 92 million tons of textile waste are generated each year globally, and that Türkiye is responsible for between 1 and 1.5 percent of this amount. She also stated that only 10 to 15 percent of the resulting waste is recycled.

Pointing out that the use of insulation materials has become even more widespread following the mandatory implementation of energy performance certificates in Türkiye, Aslan said, “Unfortunately, many insulation materials currently available on the market are fossil-based and have high environmental impacts. At this point, there is a need for more environmentally friendly and sustainable insulation materials.”

Emphasizing that they view stored or incinerated textile waste with no recovery potential not as a problem but as a resource, Aslan added: “We produce high-value-added composite materials from textile waste that cannot be recycled. We have four different products: composite raw material, composite boards, thermal panels, and acoustic panels.”