Textile Waste Valorization Through Biodegradable Capsule Production for Ecological Restoration: Comprehensive Technical and Economic Feasibility Analysis of Recycled Natural Fiber Clothing

Global textile waste represents a pressing environmental challenge, with nearly 92 million tons discarded annually and less than 1% recycled into new products. Simultaneously, ecological restoration initiatives require affordable, biodegradable materials for seed capsule production. This study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of converting post-consumer natural-fiber textiles—cotton, wool, linen, and hemp—into biodegradable capsules for degraded soil rehabilitation. Comprehensive analyses compared mechanically processed textile waste with virgin fibers and common agricultural residues across multiple parameters, including physical (water retention 198–287%, decomposition 2–18 months), chemical (C:N ratios 12–58:1, pH 5.9–7.6, nutrient profiles), and biological performance (germination 82–91%, microbial activity 115–152% of control). Contamination management achieved synthetic fiber removal >96.8% and eliminated dye phytotoxicity through thermal-oxidative pretreatment. Processed cotton waste demonstrated comparable performance to virgin cotton (water retention 198% vs. 245%; germination 85.3% vs. 85.6%) at 90–98% lower raw material cost (USD 0.02–0.15/kg vs. 0.85–4.20/kg). Wool waste achieved 287% water retention and high structural integrity at one-fourth the cost of virgin wool. A hybrid formulation (40% cotton waste + 30% coconut fiber + 20% coffee husks + 10% feather meal) reached a Multi-criteria Performance Index (MPI) of 89.7—95% of virgin wool performance at only 8% of its cost. Economic modeling indicates payback periods of 1.8–2.9 years, diverting 50–80% of textile waste from landfills. The results establish standardized protocols for textile waste processing and demonstrate its potential as a scalable, circular, and sustainable biomaterial for global ecological restoration. Comparative Analysis of Biodegradable Biomaterial Capsules for Ecological Restoration of Degraded Areas: An Expanded Technical and Economic Feasibility Study of Thirteen Viable Materials Paper link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17970409 Organic Waste as a Catalyst for Tropical Forest Restoration: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Guanacaste Orange Peel Experiment Paper link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17957848