Multifilament spinning of mechanically recycled polypropylene from post-consumer sources for a circular economy in textile applications

The use of polypropylene (PP) waste in the textile industry has been limited to low-value applications, as it is difficult to produce high-quality recycled fibers. Recent advances in recycling and purification technologies have enabled the production of recycled polypropylene (rPP) suitable for textile-grade fibers. This study focuses on the melt spinning of rPP multifilament yarns obtained from post-consumer waste and evaluates the influence of critical spinning parameters such as godet temperature, quenching conditions, draw ratio and draw down speed on yarn properties. The test results show that highly purified rPP can be successfully spun into multifilament yarns with a tensile strength of up to 4.2 cN/dtex and an elongation at break of 20%. These values demonstrate the potential of using post-consumer PP in high-performance applications, overcoming the traditional limitations associated with recycled PP. This work provides a pathway for expanding the use of post-consumer waste in the production of high value textile fibers and promotes a more sustainable approach to polypropylene waste management.