Above: National Museum of Sweden staff wear uniforms made of repurposed textile waste, including mislabeled hospital garments that were slated for incineration. A Swedish“ upcycling” company gave them a second life.
et’ s say you’ re a laundry operator with a large uniform account. Suddenly, your client decides to change his workwear color or style. This leaves you with several thousand sets of disused garments. Such a quantity may be more than you can practically store or shift to other clients. What do you do? In most cases today it’ s landfilling. But technology is advancing to give laundries more“ circular” options aimed at remaking disused textiles into new products.
22 Textile Services • May 2025
Consider, for example, James“ Bud” Honshell, a TRSA member and president of Hybridworks Textile, Xenia, OH. Located roughly 16 miles southeast of Dayton, Hybridworks is in the final stages of developing a practical application of a“ rotating hydrolysis reactor.” This patented process can separate cotton / poly textiles into their constituent parts, Honshell says. These include cotton fabric for reuse in garments, plus purified versions of the two key components of polyester: terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. Honshell and his business partner, Bob Fesmire Sr., chair and CEO of Ellis Corp., have worked on this product longer than the 18 months of experimentation that it took Thomas Edison to perfect a prototype of the incandescent lightbulb in the 1870s.
Honshell and Fesmire have engaged in numerous talks with laundry operators about their system. Now that the product is nearly ready for commercial distribution, he’ s optimistic about its potential to promote textile circularity.“ We’ re right on the edge,” he says, noting that in recent days he began testing the equipment with Ellis Corp.“ We aim to to ensure that our scaledup process performs identically to our previous lab experiments. The products produced in those certified lab tests were indistinguishable from commercial-grade virgin products. Hopefully, we can start doing some testing and analysis with loads in the next week or so.” Their agenda includes getting some samples made and gaining certifications from the University of Dayton Research Institute.“ It’ s all coming along really well,” Honshell says, noting that in previous lab testing at the University of Auburn and at Fenton Woods Laboratory in Massachusetts, the products were certified as no different than commercial-grade products. He expects Hybridworks to have a commercial operation open by years’ end if not sooner. For their process, they’ re using a machine that’ s roughly similar to a 200 lb.( 90 kg.) washer / extractor, Honshell says. A key advantage over similar systems, he says, is that their process doesn’ t damage cotton fibers.“ People are destroying the cotton,” he says referring to rival recycling systems.“ They make it into a cellulosic material, and then they reconstitute it back into another fabric like rayon.” Then they pull out the plastic, the polyester, he says.“ They leave it in what’ s called a‘ pet’
TRSA Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS
SUSTAINABLE
CASCADE
POWERING‘ GREENER’ LAUNDRIES WITH INNOVATION
Operators describe tech advances that are generating improved resource conservation, efficiency and throughput
By Jack Morgan
I
n recent interviews with operators about trends in improving the environmental performance of their commercial laundries, we learned that while“ green laundering” tactics and motivations vary, the consensus view is that helping the earth can aid the industry, while demonstrating corporate social responsibility to customers and the public.
WHY BE‘ GREEN’?
One pioneering operator in this area is mat launderer Carl-Johan Björkman. As CEO of Hr Björkmans Entrémattor,
16 Textile Services • May 2024
Arlöv, Sweden, Björkman describes how his company has applied innovations aimed at shrinking his operation’ s carbon footprint, and how these efforts have helped him grow his business. As for reducing emissions, he notes that from the beginning route vehicles posed the biggest challenge for the business. Early on, he sought to mitigate these effects in the company he founded in 1993.“ As a mat-rental company, delivery has the most environmental impact, through the fossil-fuel emissions and CO 2,” Björkman says.“ In 2001, we bought our first gas-driven vehicle and already in 2005 all our deliveries were made with biogas, which is CO 2 neutral.”
Björkman has always made green operations a priority, and it’ s paid off handsomely, he says, noting that“ The lowest-possible environmental impact— not only for transportation— has always been part of our business model. Over the years, this has given us lots of publicity and created interest and
Textile Sustainability credibility for our company, which in turn has generated more customers.”
As the idea of environmentalism has evolved in the minds of policy makers and the public toward advancing“ sustainability,” i. e., ensuring that people can thrive without depleting the earth’ s natural resources and protecting future generations, Björkman’ s green efforts have expanded in tandem with this trend, and they continue to generate positive results.“ Sustainability, which today is even more important— especially among younger people— also helps us when we are recruiting more employees,” he says.“ It’ s a win-win.”
Repurposing for Sustainability—
Garment & Flatwork Innovations
Today’ s emphasis on environmentalism / sustainability is by no means limited to youthful startups or European operators like Hr Björkmans Entrémattor. Alsco Uniforms, Salt Lake City, a global company founded in 1889 when a 14-year-old George Steiner began peddling towels to local businesses on foot, is equally enthusiastic about the importance of controlling
Operators, suppliers and other experts outline options for renewing end-of-life textiles
L
By Jack Morgan
PHOTO CREDIT: © Joseph Ahlquist
Innovative Recycling
PHOTO CREDIT: © Elisabeth Toll, National Museum
40 Textile Services • June 2023
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
CHEMICALS / WATER TREATMENT— SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
THE LATEST IN WASH CHEMISTRY AND WATER-MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
TRSA supplier partners offer cutting-edge innovations to help you save big on water, energy, linens and more!
W
hether you’ re serving the healthcare, hospitality, industrial, or food and beverage( F & B) industry, optimizing resources is the key to protecting the environment and your bottom line. The good news for today’ s operators is that the TRSA supplier partners highlighted below offer innovative technologies that promote sustainability. Their offerings range from eco-friendly detergents to smart water-management solutions. These products promote sustainability by enhancing water and energy efficiency, removing contaminants, and prolonging textile life. Read on to learn about how these products can advance your company’ s sustainability, safety, efficiency, performance and profitability goals.
ECOLAB INC. 800.553.8683 www. ecolab. com
As water is essential to commercial laundry businesses, smart water management can save water and benefit your bottom line. Ecolab offers solutions that empower commercial laundries to optimize their water usage at every stage of their operations, from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Their innovative science, digital technology and extensive industry knowledge help minimize water consumption while improving water quality. By partnering with Ecolab, you can operate in a more safe, efficient, reliable and profitable manner, while achieving your performance, operational and sustainability goals. For details, visit www. ecolab. com.
Product _ Showcase. indd 40
ELLIS CORP. 866.836.9886 www. elliscorp. com
What happens when you need to install a wastewater treatment system, but there just isn’ t room? In today’ s facilities when production increases, space comes at a premium. Wastewater-discharge systems are now designed as modular components installed into containers. The modularized systems contain wastewater-feed pumps, tube flocculators for chemical reaction, and a dissolved-air-flotation unit to separate the solids from the water. Modular equalization tanks can even be installed in parking lots when there’ s no room in the plant. Visit elliscorp. com to learn more.
Automate. Optimize. Enhance.
• The system tank recovers:
G. A. Braun Inc. 315.475.3123 www. gabraun. com
Here is G. A. Braun’ s Open Pocket Washer / Extractor Water Reclamation System.
• 173 gallons of water( 450 lb. Open Pocket Washer)
• 225 gallons of water( 650 lb. Open Pocket Washer)
• Can be retrofitted on any touchscreen-controlled Open Pocket Washer.
• Quick disconnect fittings( hose and electrical cables), and caster wheels for easy access to the washer for routine maintenance.
• The footprint is minimal, adding only 4.5 inches in depth to Braun’ s 450 lb. open pocket and only 6.25 inches to the 650 lb. washer.
• Compelling ROI!— Customers report saving( on average) of 2,500 gallons of water per day!
Water reclamation is an important step toward sustainable and responsible business practices in the commercial laundry industry.
GURTLER INDUSTRIES INC. 800.638.7300 www. gurtler. com
Gurtler’ s Work • Clean Team has the latest advanced technology in liquid laundry specialty chemicals, with outstanding results in industrial uniform and F & B laundries. The Work • Clean Team’ s eco-friendly, low-alkaline technology delivers superior results without the use of harsh caustic chemicals. With
• Textile Services Association( TSA), Bracknell, United Kingdom. A flatwork-recycling program sponsored by TSA and three nonprofit groups is attracting more recyclers and reusers. At Positek RFID, we don’ t believe in one-size-fits-all RFID solutions. We specialize in tailored RFID systems designed specifically for industrial laundries, helping you track, sort, and manage textiles with unmatched accuracy and efficiency.
May 2024 Sustainable Cascade Powering‘ Greener’ Laundries with Innovation
• Hr Björkmans Entrémattor, Arlöv, Sweden. The company has a long history of applying innovations to shrink the operation’ s carbon footprint. For example, in 2005, all deliveries were made using biogas( CO 2
-neutral).
TRSA Resources
Textile Services … Your Source for Sustainability Trends
For decades, this magazine has documented exemplary efforts to make linen, uniform and facility services more environmentally friendly and consequently more sustainable. Below, we highlight some recent efforts that laundry operators have made to address these challenges. These articles are archived on TRSA. org; they are available to members only.
May 2025 Repurposing for Sustainability— Garment & Flatwork Innovations
• Hybridworks LLC, Xenia, OH. A patented“ rotating hydrolysis reactor” separates polycotton textiles into their constituent parts; cotton fabric for reuse in garments; terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol for polyester.
• Elis SA, St. Cloud, France. Across nearly 500 production and service centers in Europe and Central and South America, this company has recycled almost 80 % of end-of-life textiles, mostly for use as wipers or insulation. Increasingly, they are remade into new textiles.
• European Textile Services Association( ETSA), Brussels. ETSA member Textilia focuses on repurposing end-of-life textiles into new products. Another member, Cibutex, unites textile service providers, recyclers and manufacturers to develop scalable solutions for reusing and repurposing textiles across industries.
• Alsco Uniforms, Salt Lake City. U. S.-made table linens with a 50 %-80 % longer lifespan than some imported varieties; electric fleet vehicles in the U. S., Australia, Germany and New Zealand; hybrid vehicles in the United Kingdom.
• Textile Care Services( TCS), Rochester, MN. Part of Healthcare Linen Services Group, St. Charles, IL, TCS’ s environmental friendliness centers on effective maintenance and a $ 10-million makeover of the plant’ s wash aisle and finishing departments. Performance improvements in water, natural gas and electricity are documented in real time. Tunnel washer lines use UV light and an advanced oxidation process to treat press water, improving cleanliness and stain removal.
• Continental Linen Service( CLS), Kalamazoo, MI. A $ 7 million upgrade produced( 2022-’ 23 comparison) 2.3 % per-lb. savings on natural gas, 5.2 % on electricity and 7.8 % on water.
• Coburger Handtuch & Matten Service( CHMS GmbH & Co. KG), Rodental, Germany. Saved in multiple areas in recent years, especially natural gas for drying.
• Lindström Group, Helsinki. Water-conservation partnership launched in 2022; achieved 74 % recovery at the Chennai, India, plant. Reduced total freshwater use by 56 %.
• Prudential Overall Supply, Irvine, CA. Solar project in Milpitas, CA: A cleanroom plant rated to produce 724,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, features 1,129 solar panels that will allow the plant to generate roughly 36 % of its electricity needs.
• Quintex Services Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Numerous sustainability projects, ranging from water reuse to LED lighting. continues on page 9 >
May 2026 • Textile Services 7