AI and laser technology: RIT’s solution to efficient textile recycling and waste reduction
Every year, the average U.S. consumer discards nearly 82 pounds of clothing, contributing to over 11 million tons of textile waste. A significant portion of this waste comes from garments that are difficult to recycle due to their complex compositions, such as mixed material blends and components like buttons and zippers. But now, a team at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has developed a new automated system to address this problem.
This system uses artificial intelligence (AI) and lasers to identify and remove non-recyclable elements from used garments. With a processing time of just 10 seconds per garment, the system aims to make textile recycling more efficient, helping to recover high-value materials and reduce the environmental impact of textile waste.
The process begins with a conveyor-fed imaging station equipped with specialized cameras that create a multi-dimensional map of the garment. This map allows for a detailed analysis of the fiber composition, down to the millimeter. Using near-infrared (NIR) camera technology, the system detects surface materials such as cotton, polyester, and nylon, and AI-powered algorithms help identify hidden components like elastic bands in cuffs, which are invisible to the camera alone.
Mark Walluk, the technical program manager and lead engineer of the project, explains that the combination of NIR data and AI is key to recognizing materials that are often missed by traditional recycling systems. Once the system detects these non-recyclable parts, a robotic laser cutter removes them without damaging the usable fabric, which is then sorted into separate recycling bins by a robotic system.
The project, led by Walluk and a team of engineers at RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability, aims to transform post-consumer clothing into valuable feedstock for recycling. While current systems prefer post-industrial fabrics due to their predictable material properties, the RIT team’s system is designed to handle the complexity of used garments, making them more viable for reuse.
This project is a step toward achieving a circular economy, where materials are continually reused rather than ending up in landfills. Key partners such as Ambercycle and Goodwill of the Finger Lakes have provided garments for testing, while Nike has contributed industry insights during the project’s early stages. The research, which started in 2023, was funded by a nearly $1.3 million grant from the Remade Institute, a public-private partnership focused on circular manufacturing solutions.
While the system is still in its pilot phase, it has attracted attention from global recyclers across the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and Latin America. Walluk and his team are working to refine the system and transition it to partners for further testing and potential deployment later this year.
The hope is that this technology will not only help improve existing recycling processes but also support the growth of new startups working on innovative recycling solutions. By making textile recycling more efficient, RIT’s team is taking a significant step toward addressing the global textile waste crisis.
