On December 21, 2022, Ecomaison was approved by the public authorities to recycle textile decorative items.
Already present in the furnishings recycling sector for some ten years, Ecomaison is committed to taking charge of the new category of so-called "textile decoration" products, with two priorities: reuse and a major R&D effort to develop textile recycling processes, still largely undeveloped in France. One of the provisions of the 2020 AGEC law provides for the extension of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for furniture items to include textile decoration items (category 12). These concern "wall, floor and window decoration elements with removable finished products based on natural or synthetic textiles, as well as their accessories, whatever the materials of which they are made".
65,000 tonnes of discarded products per year
There are around 100,000 tonnes of products put on the market every year. Ecomaison aims to collect 14,000 tonnes by 2023 and 41,000 tonnes by 2027. Today, there are virtually no industrial solutions for recycling textiles, apart from the polypropylene carpets used in the aisles of trade shows. Ecomaison's priority for 2023 is to improve the sorting, reuse and energy recovery of these products. The eco-organization will also initiate R&D initiatives to develop efficient recycling processes with low environmental impact. New outlets for these recycled materials will be found to enable manufacturers to invest.
"This new accreditation will enable us to innovate and take our solutions for extending the life of products and materials even further. Our ambition is to federate as many people as possible around these approaches, and to learn together how to sort, reuse and recycle even better...". Dominique Mignon, Ecomaison President
Synergies with existing industries and R&D efforts
To ensure efficient collection, capitalize on the sorting of linen already well established among consumers, and in line with its materials-based approach, Ecomaison is proposing to develop synergies with the textile industry (TLC). Communication on the sorting gesture, pooling of collection bins, joint calls for R&D projects... using the logic of the textile material and not by product, Ecomaison intends to provide effective recycling solutions that will benefit both professionals and the general public. In the case of event carpets, Ecomaison's objective is to develop the existing polypropylene product recycling chain. Ecomaison's R&D work will also focus on other types of carpet, which are often composite and therefore very difficult to recycle.
Reuse, a major challenge
This new sector represents a major technological challenge in terms of developing the most efficient recycling solutions with the lowest environmental impact. In the short term, Ecomaison intends to maximize re-use in partnership with players in the social economy to extend the life of these products. In this context, curtains and carpets are products with great potential.