A joint project carried out by Avery Dennison and TEXAID has found that RFID technology can triple textile sorting speed compared to manual methods, while achieving up to 99.9% identification accuracy.
The findings come as the European textile sector must adapt to stricter waste regulations and prepares for the approaching mandates on textile waste collection and product data traceability.
TEXAID, which collects and sorts around 80,000 tonnes of textiles annually across more than 300 categories, worked with Avery Dennison to assess whether radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging could help meet rising pressures created by new European Union directives.
From 2025, EU member states must implement separate collection of textile waste under changes to the Waste Framework Directive, expected to significantly increase post-consumer textile volumes handled by collectors and sorters.
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The pilot project embedded RFID tags, supplied by Avery Dennison, into 300 selected garments covering a range of types and materials.
Trials were conducted at Valvan’s Sorting Lab in Menen, Belgium, using Valvan’s Fibersort system, after the existing sorting machinery was upgraded with additional scanning hardware and software. Tests were designed to reflect real-world operational scenarios.
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Despite the improved efficiency and data visibility, the pilot also indicated that further investment in artificial intelligence cameras and data management systems would be needed to fully leverage the potential of automated sorting machines like Fibersort.