George Brown College Partners with Joe Fresh to Further Innovation in Textile Recycling

George Brown College Partners with Joe Fresh to Further Innovation in Textile Recycling

As a leader in fashion education, design, production and entrepreneurship, George Brown College is pleased to announce a collaboration between its Fashion Exchange and Joe Fresh, one of Canada’s leading fashion retailers.

Textile waste is a major source of landfill, with the average person disposing of 80 pounds of textile waste annually; up to 85 per cent of that could instead be collected and reused or recycled.

As part of their corporate social responsibility mandate, Joe Fresh will work with George Brown College’s Fashion Exchange to conduct research into cellulosic fiber regeneration from textile waste. The results could ultimately lead to new recycling methods, positively impacting the Canadian apparel industry.

The project will include experimenting with new and innovative techniques for dissolving and regenerating cellulosic textile waste and transforming it into new fiber. The aim is to help close the loop in the circular economy of materials that may otherwise be discarded.

Over the next two years, Joe Fresh will contribute $100,000 toward the research program, which is slated to encompass environmental scans, comprehensive literature reviews, examination of the wood pulp and alternative cellulosic fiber industries and the utilization of textile chemical engineering expertise to strengthen and validate the findings.

“There is enormous potential to provide more sustainable solutions for reusing and recycling textiles here in Canada,” said Ian Freedman, President, Joe Fresh. “Through this research partnership with George Brown College, our hope is that we can find innovative solutions to better enable a more sustainable, closed-loop system for the entire industry.”

The George Brown College Fashion Exchange (FX) aims to model and foster innovative, ethical, environmentally and socially sustainable production. It’s a vibrant hub where fashion education, design, production, research and engagement converge under one roof. FX brings together fashion educators, industry partners, community organizations and fashion graduates to innovate for an increasingly sustainable, socially-conscious and economically vibrant fashion industry.

In addition, FX undertakes applied research projects as part of their research mandate. The FX Leading through Innovation in Fashion Technologies (FX LIFT) research program enables local companies to access the expertise and creativity of fashion faculty and students to help resolve their fashion challenges.

“Fashion research through FX LIFT allows Canadian apparel businesses to overcome technical, systemic, design and manufacturing challenges at all stages of the product lifecycle chain, including post consumer textile waste,” says Marilyn McNeil-Morin, Director Fashion Exchange. “Our research program supports industry leaders like Joe Fresh in their effort to strengthen the overall social and environmental impact of their fashion. We look forward to working with them to make Canadian clothing a more sustainable choice for consumers."

The partnership between the George Brown College Fashion Exchange and Joe Fresh will support a closed-loop apparel manufacturing system, while contributing to sustainable development and provide a model for innovation.