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Alsico has made a breakthrough in circular workwear, successfully recovering and reusing reflective glass beads from end-of-life high-visibility garments.
The development tackles one of the biggest barriers to recycling hi-vis clothing, where reflective strips have traditionally forced garments to be incinerated due to their complex construction.
Working with partners including Stuff4Life and Coats, Alsico has used a polyester depolymerisation process to separate and preserve the glass beads used in reflective materials.
Testing shows the recovered beads retain up to 80% of their reflectivity and meet performance standards for reuse in new products.
The process can recover up to 100% of the beads and more than 75% of reflective strip material by weight, opening the door to fully circular hi-vis garments in future.
Alsico said the innovation supports its wider push towards closed-loop workwear systems, helping reduce waste while maintaining safety and compliance standards.
Pic 8: Alsico makes headway in hi-vis workwear recyclability
