Textile-to-Textile Closed Loops: Solving the "Invisible" Bottleneck in T2T Recycling

In the textile industry’s pivot towards Textile-to-Textile (T2T) closed loops, the spotlight is often exclusively on fabric innovation. However, At ECI Elastic, as a leading supplier of elastic webbing and trimmings with over 50 years of expertise, we understand a critical fact: zero waste is a systemic mindset, and every component matters.

A poorly designed elastic trimming can easily become the biggest bottleneck in the recycling process for the entire garment, drastically lowering both the overall recycling rate and the value of the regenerated material. As a leading supplier of elastic webbing and trimmings, we have taken proactive steps, transforming trimmings from a "recycling nuisance" into a "driver of the closed loop."

We are working closely with downstream yarn innovator Cyclone to jointly advance Closed Loop Concept 2.0, ensuring our trimmings are not only functionally superior but also an indispensable driving force within the closed-loop ecosystem.

We firmly believe that as a Tier 2 supplier, we have the responsibility and opportunity to innovate proactively, rather than passively waiting for brand directives. Our innovation is a precise solution targeting the pain points in the T2T recycling process:

1.    Material Purity and Designed Recyclability

The Pain Point: Traditional trims often rely on complex, multi-material blends (e.g., nylon, cotton, or blended rubber), which complicate the sorting process and contaminate the final recycled stream.

ECI’s Solution: We have fundamentally redesigned our trim composition. Our core products now leverage R-PET (Recycled Polyester) as the base material, while strictly controlling the single-material ratio and minimizing multi-material blends (such as avoiding nylon and cotton).

Value for Your Brand: Our trims are guaranteed to support accurate subsequent sorting, dramatically improving the efficiency of recyclers and the final purity of the regenerated yarn.

2.    Maximizing Overall Garment Polyester Content

The Pain Point: The economic viability of the T2T process is directly tied to the polyester content of the waste stream. Sub-optimal trims dilute the average polyester ratio of the entire garment.

Our Solution: By focusing on high-polyester content elastic trims and accessories, we directly help increase the overall polyester fiber ratio of your garment. This makes the discarded apparel a higher-value feedstock for advanced recycling technologies, such as Cyclone's RESURGE Traceability Flow.

Value for Your Brand: This elevates your product's "Recyclability Index," making your sustainability commitment tangible and impactful.

3.    Trimmings as Information Carriers in the Closed-Loop System 

The Pain Point: Post-consumer waste often lacks source information and material data, leading to supply chain opacity and inefficiencies.

Our Solution: As the document suggests, "Elastic tapes were once invisible components inside garments. Today, we’re redesigning them to support Visibility, Traceability, and Returnability".
We are collaborating with Cyclone to explore the integration of our trims with their RESURGE traceability system. We aim to make the trim the starting point of the closed-loop data flow, ensuring every step from garment to recycled yarn can be tracked.

Value for Your Brand: Achieve true supply chain transparency and provide a compelling, verifiable sustainability narrative: "Story, Not Process."

Partnership and Mutual Success: ECI’s T2T Vision with Cyclone

The goal of zero waste must rely on the shared commitment of supply chain partners. As a Tier 2 supplier, we have ensured that our upstream design perfectly connects with Cyclone’s leading downstream recycling technology. Choosing our T2T trimmings is not just selecting an elastic webbing; it is choosing a solution that is already fully compatible with a mature regenerated yarn system.

Take Action: Making Your T2T Commitment a Reality

If your brand is looking for:

• Higher overall garment recycling rates.
• More cost-effective recycling processes.
• A more convincing sustainable story.

We are ready to showcase our samples and assist you immediately.
Contact ECI Elastic and let your trimmings stop being an obstacle to the closed loop, and start becoming a powerful engine driving the sustainable revolution!
service@ecigroup.com.tw