What if discarded fishing nets could become medical-grade materials? Taiwan Textile Research Institute’s Looping Nylon Technique does exactly that, transforming marine waste into high-performance nylon membranes without virgin feedstock or chemical adhesives.
The technique uses ultrasonic cleaning combined with a patented chain extension and polyether modification process to purify recycled fishnets to roughly 98% purity. The result is a true mono-material: nylon bonded to nylon fabric without glue, which means the finished product can be recycled again as a single material stream at end of life.
The researchers were able to laminate the recycled nylon onto the recycled nylon fabric without any melting issues or defects, The membranes are thin and dense enough to meet medical device standards while remaining moisture-permeable, antibacterial, and wear-resistant.
Downstream applications include medical mattresses and lifeboat fabrics: products that can be returned to production and recycled repeatedly. By closing the loop on ocean plastic and eliminating the need for chemical separation at end of life, the Looping Nylon Technique addresses both marine pollution and the challenge of creating truly circular textile materials.
The 2025 R&D 100 Award was presented to Taiwan Textile Research Institute.
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