Life cycle assessment as a key indicator in the ‘Eco Yarn’ project
The “Eco Yarn” project focuses not only on the technical feasibility of recycled yarn, but also on its environmental assessment through a systematic life-cycle analysis.
The idea behind the project was to produce new yarns from discarded rental linen. In collaboration with the Recycling Atelier at the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences and the company Gebr. Otto Baumwollfeinzwirnerei GmbH + Co. KG, a closed-loop material cycle was developed. Life cycle assessment was applied to every stage of the process and provided the basis for robust environmental comparisons.
Life cycle analysis as an assessment tool
As part of the life cycle assessment, key environmental indicators such as energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, water demand and land use were examined. The recycled yarn was compared with conventionally produced cotton yarn. Factors taken into account included:
- Collection and sorting of used textiles
- Mechanical recycling of the fibres
- Spinning and weaving of the new yarn
- Transport and processing processes
The holistic life cycle analysis enabled the products’ ecological ‘footprint’ to be systematically determined.
Scientific background
Funding from the German Federal Environmental Foundation enabled the life cycle assessment to be carried out independently and on a sound scientific basis. bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH evaluated the data and ensured that the results were robust and comparable.
The analysis showed that the recycled yarn offers environmental benefits despite the higher technical complexity. Compared to virgin material, savings of around 21 per cent were achieved in CO₂ emissions, water consumption and agricultural land use. This provided quantitative evidence of the benefits of the recycling concept.
Significance for sustainable product development
The life cycle assessment made it clear that environmental improvements do not arise automatically, but must be specifically planned and reviewed. Challenges such as increased dust generation or lower whiteness of the yarns were also factored into the assessment, as they influence quality, service life and acceptance.
This systematic approach enabled the identification of potential for optimisation, for example in machinery, process speeds or material blends. The life cycle assessment thus became a steering tool for the further development of the project.
Conclusion
The “Eco Yarn” project exemplifies how life cycle assessment can become the foundation for sustainable innovation in the textile industry. It enables recycling concepts to be assessed and further developed not only from a technical but also from an ecological perspective.
Rather than merely communicating sustainability, the project made it measurable. Life cycle assessment combines scientific analysis with industrial practice and helps to make textile value chains more resource-efficient and sustainable in the long term.
