“BlockTexx is leading efforts to make the fashion and textile industry circular – their work shows how smart ideas can turn old clothes into something valuable,” says Banksia Foundation CEO Graz van Egmond.

“They embody the innovation, passion and impact that the Banksia Foundation has showcased for 36 years.”

The Queensland-based company was announced as the winner of the Banksia National Sustainability Gold Award at a gala event in Melbourne last week.

The Banksia National Sustainability Awards continues to showcase and celebrate innovative, impactful solutions to the sustainability challenges of our times.

BlockTexx has created a world-first solution to tackle a huge problem: how to recycle clothes made from a mix of polyester and cotton. Most of these fabrics end up in landfills because they are so hard to recycle.

Using their special technology, BlockTexx breaks down these clothes and turns them into two useful materials: recycled polyester (PolyTexx) and cellulose (CellTexx), which can be reused in new products.

The Banksia Foundation’s judging panel, made up of esteemed sustainability experts, praised BlockTexx on its extensive R&D efforts to solve the growing textile waste issue – globally it’s predicted to hit 140 million tonnes by 2030 and Australians are among the worst offenders.

BlockTexx recycling plant in Loganholme, Queensland can handle 10,000 tonnes of fabric every year (that's 8000 shirts an hour), keeping mountains of clothes out of landfills. They use blockchain technology to track every step of the recycling process, so nothing goes to waste.

BlockTexx first won the Circular Economy category, sponsored by Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre, before being selected as the top of the 14 category award winners.

The winners of the Banksia National Sustainability Awards are listed below and on the Banksia Foundation website.

Images supplied

Clémence Carayol

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