Textiles

Credit: A. Boss/NIST

Textiles comprise a rapidly growing fraction of the United States’ solid waste stream, with a substantial portion not being reclaimed or recycled. NIST is working to advance measurement science and standards to improve the reuse and recycling of textiles.

Jump to:  Research Activities  |  Documentary Standards Engagements  |  Related NIST Workshops  |  Reference Materials & Reference Data  |  Tools & Capabilities 

Research Activities

Facilitating Textile Identification and Sortation 

This activity aims to support the circularity and reshoring of the textile industry by identifying and addressing efficiency challenges related to textile feedstock identification, sortation, and recycling. This involves participating in standards development, conducting research into chemical and mechanical textile recycling, and providing reference data to improve fiber sorting using Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, microscopy, and other methodologies. Read more. Contact: Amanda Forster.

Documentary Standards Engagements

Visit our Standards Resources page to see which textiles circularity-related documentary standards committees NIST is currently engaged in.

Related NIST Workshops

Visit the Workshops page to learn more about NIST workshops relevant to textile circularity.

Reference Materials & Reference Data

NIST is exploring the need for new textile reference materials of known and validated composition. Contact: Amanda Forster.

Tools & Capabilities

NIST experimental capabilities and tools relevant to textiles circularity are described on the Tools & Capabilities page.