JAUE2024-029: Study on Trial Manufacture of Insulation Materials Using Clothing Waste

Abstract

Nowadays, clothing is incinerated in large amounts, so we considered using clothing waste for insulation materials as a new recycling method. In this study, we created some specimens of insulation materials using clothing waste such as cotton, linen, blends of various fibers and wetsuits. After that, we evaluated the thermal conductivity, moisture adsorption/desorption properties and the reduction of CO2 emissions. The thermal conductivity of the specimens are 0.05~0.06 W/mK, which is inferior to glasswool and cellulose fiber, and the specimens had high moisture adsorption performance. It was also found that CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 86% by using clothing waste as the insulation material instead of incinerating it, and the insulation material made from clothing waste can be created with half the CO2 emissions of the glasswool.