Roberts Recycling, a leading UK textile recycler, and FAB Materials, an innovative startup developing solutions for post-consumer textiles, have joined forces to address two of the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges: deforestation and the growing problem of textile waste.
FAB Materials’ patent-protected technology provides a direct, ‘drop-in’ replacement for the wood fibre currently used in the manufacture of products such as MDF. Fully compatible with existing production lines, the technology can be applied globally and at scale to repurpose textile waste.
The scale of the challenge is vast. A lorry’s worth of clothing is sent to landfill or incinerated every few seconds. FAB’s technology is designed to intercept this waste stream and convert it into a valuable, in-demand feedstock for the global composite board market.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Roberts Recycling,” said John Somerville, Founder and CEO of FAB Materials. “Roberts shares our vision for a truly sustainable future for end-of-life textiles. Their forward-thinking approach aligns perfectly with our mission. Together, we’re turning textile waste into a valuable resource, diverting post-consumer clothing from landfill and incineration both in the UK and beyond.”
“We’re taking low-grade, non-wearable textiles that would otherwise be destined for landfill and channelling them through a new route into a viable, sustainable substitute for everyday products. What could be more everyday than a kitchen or a piece of furniture? It’s a brilliant example of how circular innovation can touch people’s lives in a practical, visible way,” said John Roberts, Director at Roberts Recycling.
Roberts Recycling’s global textile recovery operation and strong relationships with leading brands provide the consistent, traceable feedstock needed for this breakthrough, linking large-scale textile recovery with cutting-edge materials innovation.
By transforming fashion waste into a valuable raw material for everyday products, the partnership demonstrates a practical, circular solution to two of the planet’s biggest environmental challenges: textile waste and deforestation.
“A key breakthrough here is practicality. This is a drop-in material for existing MDF lines. It’s about rethinking waste as a resource and proving that complex, mixed-fibre textiles can have a valuable second life at industrial scale,” added John.
The collaboration is currently in pilot, and FAB Materials are actively seeking industrial MDF partners to join the scale-up journey, and fashion brands exploring sustainable exit routes for fashion waste and manufacturers seeking to reduce their environmental impact.
For more information, please contact John – john@robertsrecycling.co.uk
