NIST Database Can Help Increase Recycling of Textiles and Clothing

Photo caption: A clothing sample is analyzed using an analytical lab technique called near-infrared spectroscopy. The method measures how much of the light passes through or scatters off the fabric, producing a unique pattern — a sort of fingerprint that can identify the types of fibers in clothing. Photo credit: A. Boss / NIST. Media contact: Alex Boss. NIST News – updated January 10, 2025. 

• Researchers estimate that 85% of used clothes and other textiles end up in landfills and incinerators.
• To increase recycling and reduce waste, the industry needs better technology for automatically sorting used textiles and clothing.
• NIST’s new “NIR-SORT” database contains the molecular “fingerprints” of different kinds of fabrics and will enable more rapid and efficient sorting of textiles and clothing. […]

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