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With the growing adoption of the circular economy, there is increasing recognition that post-industrial textile waste and leftovers can be effectively utilized for closed-loop recycling. As part of the project “Transferring Upmade know-how to Kenya”, textile waste and fabric leftovers at Rivatex, a textile factory based in Eldoret, Kenya, were assessed to explore opportunities for industrial upcycling.
Textile waste and fabric leftovers are inevitable by-products of textile and garment production, often considered unsuitable for their original purpose. Generated at various stages of production, they can result from technical issues (e.g. cutting waste and sewing damage), fabric quality problems (such as defects or unsuitability) and production/resource planning challenges (e.g. overproduction or order errors).
UPMADE system uses the upcycling method to turn industrial textile waste into new garments. Through the UPMADE model, textile waste and leftover materials are reintroduced into the production process, turning them into valuable new upcycled products instead of discarded, contributing to a more circular and sustainable fashion ecosystem. Mapping and analysing textile waste and fabric leftovers is a necessary first step in implementing the UPMADE production system. It provides a detailed overview of leftover material streams, qualities and quantities, helping to determine their suitability for upcycling and establishing a baseline for integration into UPMADE production processes.
Based on an online survey, document analysis and an on-site visit to the Rivatex factory, this report presents key findings from the mapping of textile waste and fabric leftovers. It provides recommendations for improving the factory’s operational efficiency, optimising resource allocation, and streamlining business processes to facilitate the implementation of circular and upcycling processes, including integrating the UPMADE system into Rivatex’s existing production processes.
Head of Unit, Senior Expert (Green and Circular Economic Transformations Unit)
SEI Tallinn
Project / The main objective of the project is to implement a value-added upcycling strategy within the Kenyan garment and textile industry.
Feature / SEI Tallinn and partners are transferring value-added upcycling method UPMADE to support the deployment of circular solutions in textile production.
Feature / Fashion designer Reet Aus and SEI have joined forces to create a new design-based circular business model for battling industrial textile waste.
Other publication / This report demonstrates how the textile waste and leftovers from the Rivatex factory can be effectively repurposed into new, circular and marketable products.
