Materials are no longer confined to their traditional applications. Polyethylene, widely used in packaging, is now being explored as a textile material with promising functional properties.

Within the project bioPEtex, the Institute for Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University, together with TECNARO, BB Engineering and FALKE, is investigating how biobased polyethylene can be processed into yarns and integrated into textile products.

Initial results indicate that the material offers a combination of properties that could be relevant for performance textiles, including a soft touch and a cooling effect. At the same time, the approach raises broader questions about how existing polymers can be rethought in the context of sustainability and textile innovation.

Rather than focusing on isolated steps, the project connects multiple stages of the value chain, from material development to textile processing and final product realisation.

For more information, please visit the Institute’s website.

Picture: Biobased polyethylene across the textile value chain: (a) BioPE in granulate form; (b) BioPE POY and BioPE DTY; (c) SEM image of BioPE POY; (d) SEM image of BioPE DTY; (e), (f) and (g) T-shirt primarily made from BioPE yarns;  Source: FALKE.