Sustainable Management of Garment Manufacturing Waste: A Case Study from Southern Italy

The textile sector is the second most polluting industry in the world is supported by various studies and reports, particularly in the context of Europe. The European Commission has highlighted the significant environmental impacts of the textile industry, which ranks just behind the oil industry in terms of pollution levels. This study addresses a crucial issue in the textile industry: the management of textile waste and the transition to a circular economy. By analyzing the weekly waste generated by a garment manufacturing company, the aim of this study is to define the best process for managing different types of fabrics, transforming what was once considered waste into a new resource. The methodological approach used, which includes the burning characteristics of fibers and FTIR spectroscopy, is a reasonable choice for understanding the composition of fabrics and determining the best methods for waste management. The main results show that natural fibers are present in a higher percentage and can be reused in many application areas. For synthetic and artificial fibers, recycling appears to be a preferable option to reuse.