Queensland-based tech company BlockTexx has won the Manufacturing Innovation Award at the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence for its pioneering recycling solution bringing a “fibre to fibre” future to the fashion industry.
The InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence were presented at a black-tie gala dinner at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney on Wednesday night.
BlockTexx took out the award for its novel solution capable of transforming difficult to recycle textile waste into sustainable products.
The Manufacturing Innovation award was sponsored by Investment NSW. The award was presented on the night by Investment NSW deputy secretary Rebecca McPhee.
BlockTexx was also named the Australian Hero at the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence, the top award on the night.
The Queensland-based manufacturer is aiming to address the huge problem of wastage in the fashion and textiles industries, with 113 million tonnes of fibre produced, and much of this being very difficult to recycle.
BlockTexx has developed a tech solution that is capable of significantly boosting the ability to recycle these types of polyester so it can be re-used in other products, facilitating a move towards a circular economy.
The company has designed, built and commissioned the first-ever commercial-scale chemical recycling facility which has the ability to take in hard-to-recycle polyester and cotton blends and deconstruct them and separate the cotton from the polyester.
This allows for the recycled products to be used as an alternative to high-value new products across a wide range of industries, including agriculture and construction.
For example, the BlockTexx solution can take a bed sheet made from polyester and cotton and recover two products: high-grade polyethylene terephthalate and microcrystalline cellulose.
BlockTexx has collaborated with the Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland to conduct a pilot of its technology and create a small facility.
This factory has now expanded to be able to take in 10,000 tonnes of textile waste each year.
It now gathers textile and fashion waste from the likes of large companies, government agencies, commercial laundries, charities, manufacturers and local councils.
The other finalists in the Manufacturing Innovation category were Verbotics Weld, SciDev and Provectus Algae.
The InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence are supported by the Australian Computer Society, Investment NSW, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Technology Council of Australia, TechnologyOne, National Artificial Intelligence Centre, CSIRO’s ON Innovation Program, Reason Group, Q-CTRL, University of New South Wales, South by South-West Sydney and IP Australia.
Protecting your great ideas with intellectual property (IP) rights can lead to lasting benefits for your growing business. IP refers to creations of the mind, such as a brand, logo, invention, design or artistic work. Head to the IP Australia website to find out more about IP, and how it might help your business.
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