Colour stripping presented at BIO2 seminar

Dr. Repon explained that recycling cotton-based textile waste is difficult because of synthetic dyes, which make it hard to recover and reuse the fibres. Traditional colour removal methods often use harsh chemicals and consume a lot of energy, raising environmental concerns and making large-scale use difficult.

“Our goal is to replace these toxic methods with an eco-friendly, bio-based process,” said Dr. Repon. “This approach reduces the use of harmful chemicals while preserving fibre strength, making it easier to reuse the materials in the textile industry.”

His presentation included lab results showing that the method can effectively remove dyes from various fabrics with little damage to the fibres.

This research is part of the EU-funded BioSusTex Project, which aims to support safe and sustainable textile recycling. By removing dyes and impurities, Dr. Repon’s work helps increase the amount of clean, recyclable cellulosic material and promote circularity in the textile sector.

The seminar ended with a lively summer party.