Recycled Polyester with SIRO Spinpact: Spinning Sustainability into Strength

Introduction

The textile industry is undergoing a significant shift toward sustainability, with recycled fibers emerging as a key driver of change. Among them, recycled polyester is gaining momentum as brands, consumers, and policymakers push for greener alternatives. By converting PET bottles and post-consumer textiles into fiber, Recycled Polyester not only reduces waste but also minimizes dependence on virgin petroleum-based polyester.

However, spinning recycled polyester into consistent, high-quality yarn is far from straightforward. Shorter fibers, uneven quality, and higher hairiness often stand in the way of delivering yarns that meet global standards. This is where LMW’s SIRO Spinpact spinning system bridges the gap — ensuring mills can produce sustainable yarns without compromising strength, appearance, or efficiency.

Why Recycled Polyester Matters

Polyester dominates the textile industry, accounting for more than half of global fiber use. Its affordability, versatility, and durability make it a preferred choice across apparel, home textiles, and industrial applications. Yet virgin polyester has an environmental cost, as it is derived from finite petroleum resources and contributes to plastic waste.

Recycled polyester offers a more responsible alternative by:

• Reducing landfill and ocean waste: Millions of polyster bottles are given a second life.
• Lowering energy consumption: Recycled Polyester production uses less energy compared to virgin polyester.
• Supporting circularity: Textile waste is reintroduced into the value chain.
• Meeting consumer demand: Sustainability is now a core expectation, not just a trend.

For spinning mills, this creates both opportunity and challenge: the demand is growing, but producing consistent yarns from recycled polyester requires advanced technology.

The Challenges of Spinning Recycled Polyester

Recycled polyester differs from virgin fibers in critical ways:

• Shorter staple length: leads to weaker yarn if not properly managed.
• Fiber variability: inconsistent denier and strength make yarn evenness difficult.
• Contamination risks: input waste can contain impurities that disrupt processing.
• High hairiness: protruding fibers affect yarn surface, fabric handle, and durability.

Without the right spinning system, mills risk high waste levels, low productivity, and sub-standard yarn quality.

SIRO Spinpact: Unlocking the Potential of Recycled Polyester

LMW’s SIRO Spinpact system combines the principles of SIRO spinning and compact spinning, specifically engineered to enhance yarn properties even with challenging fibers like recycled polyster.

How It Works

• Two rovings are drafted simultaneously and converge just before twist insertion.
• This produces a two-fold-like yarn structure with superior balance and strength.
• The compacting unit condenses the fiber strand, binding short fibers tightly into the yarn core and reducing hairiness.

The result is a yarn that is stronger, smoother, and more consistent than conventionally spun recycled polyester yarn.

Technical Advantages of SIRO Spinpact for Recycled Polyester

• Higher Yarn Strength: Improved fiber alignment and reduced weak points ensure durable yarns even from shorter recycled fibers.
• Reduced Hairiness: Compact spinning minimizes protruding fibers, delivering cleaner yarns suitable for premium applications.
• Balanced Yarn Structure: The SIRO effect mimics a plied yarn, enhancing abrasion resistance and reducing pilling — key for apparel and home textiles.
• Productivity at Higher Speeds: With LMW’s SPINPACT drive system, mills achieve stable operations at high spindle speeds while saving energy.
• Application Versatility: Suitable for fine counts in apparel, mid-range for knits and wovens, and technical yarns for industrial use.

Applications of Recycled Polyester with SIRO Spinpact

Yarns spun on SIRO Spinpact are versatile and meet global buyer expectations across multiple segments:

• Activewear & Sportswear: strength, durability, and smooth handle for high-performance fabrics.
• Fashion Apparel: soft, low-pilling fabrics that align with eco-conscious branding.
• Home Textiles: abrasion-resistant yarns for bed linen, curtains, and furnishings.
• Technical Textiles: reliable performance for industrial and functional applications.

Sustainability with a Competitive Edge

For spinning mills, sustainability must go hand in hand with profitability. With SIRO Spinpact, mills gain:

• Resource efficiency: reduced waste and energy use.
• Premium quality: yarns that meet international standards.
• Stronger market positioning: ability to serve global brands demanding sustainable yarn.

By combining recycled inputs with LMW’s advanced spinning solutions, mills can transform sustainability into a competitive advantage.

LMW: Partnering in Smart Spinning

LMW has been enabling spinning success for decades. Our innovations — from compact spinning to RESPIN solutions for recycled fibers — are designed to help mills process all fiber types efficiently, including challenging ones like recycled polyester.

LMW is more than a machinery provider. We are a partner committed to sustainability, smart technology, and customer success — ensuring that mills stay future-ready in a fast-changing global textile market.

Conclusion: Spinning a Sustainable Tomorrow

Recycled polyester is here to stay, but its potential depends on how effectively it is spun into high-quality yarn. With SIRO Spinpact from LMW, mills can overcome fiber challenges and deliver yarns that are strong, smooth, and globally competitive.

LMW empowers mills not just to spin yarn, but to spin sustainability into every meter produced — making recycled polyester a true force for the future of textiles.