The Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) has awarded us a grant of €51,301.21, 60% funded by the European Union under the ERDF Programme of the Valencian Community 2021-2027, for the development of the project “Research and development of recycling and long-staple spinning technologies for aramid fibre and its blends with high-performance fibres to obtain high-performance yarns for heat-resistant applications”, under file number IMIDTA/2025/112, submitted to the SME R&D Programme (PIDI-CV) 2025.
The project, called RECOARATEX, has had as its main objective the research and development of new high-performance sustainable yarns made from blends of recycled aramid and recycled fibres obtained from the company’s own production waste, intended for the manufacture of technical fabrics with high mechanical strength and heat resistance. These new developments are aimed at high value-added applications in sectors such as transport —automotive, aeronautics and rail— and personal protective equipment.
One of the project’s main technological challenges has focused on the mechanical recycling of aramid and the recovery of long fibres, researching cutting, tearing and defibring processes with the aim of minimising fibre deterioration during recovery. Their processing using carding and long-staple spinning technologies has subsequently been studied in order to obtain recycled yarns with high technical performance.
In addition, the project has investigated different blends of recycled aramid with heat-resistant fibres, such as modacrylic, FR viscose, wool or FR polyester obtained from production waste, seeking combinations capable of improving both the processability of the materials and their mechanical and heat-resistance properties.
Using the yarns developed, RECOARATEX has also addressed the design and development of knitted and woven textile structures, aimed at technical applications requiring high levels of strength, durability and heat resistance. The project has included the characterisation of these developments and their validation under near-industrial conditions, with the aim of assessing their future applicability in production.
Through this project, HILATURAS MIEL reinforces its commitment to innovation, sustainability and the circular economy, making progress in the recovery and valorisation of textile waste and in the development of new high value-added recycled technical yarns. RECOARATEX has generated new knowledge in the processing of recycled technical fibres and expanded the company’s opportunities in specialised markets that demand increasingly sustainable and higher-performance textile solutions.
