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Home | Textile Shredders | Shredding and Textile Recycling with WEIMA

Textile Shredding and Textile Recycling Equipment

Industrial solutions for shredding textiles, clothing, fabric scraps, and nonwovens
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Shredded textiles in a white big bag
Shredded textiles held in both hands over a big bag
Downy feathers after the shredding process
Shredded jeans
Textile fibers, shredded and held in the hands
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In the
EU On average, each person generates 16 kg of textile waste per year, but only about 4.4 kg is collected separately and prepared for reuse or recycling. The majority still ends up in general waste or is incinerated.

Efficiently shred textile waste, process it by type, and return it to the recycling cycle: With WEIMA’s high-performance textile shredders, you can reliably and cost-effectively process production scraps, used textiles, clothing, nonwovens, carpets, fibers, and blended fabrics—from individual shredders to fully automated recycling plants. For over 45 years, WEIMA has been developing robust shredding solutions for demanding recycling applications. Our machines help companies worldwide convert textile waste into valuable secondary raw materials and meet the requirements of the circular economy.

Customer Applications: Textile Shredding and Briquetting with WEIMA

Practical examples of successful shredding and textile recycling using WEIMA machines
Textile Processing with WEIMA Shredders at Carbios
Textiles
Everything under one roof: Textile recycling plant at Carbios in France
In this project, WEIMA delivered a fully integrated turnkey solution for textile recycling—including shredding, separation, and material processing. At the heart of the process is the high-performance WEIMA WLK 1500 shredder. The system processes polyester-containing textile waste from post-consumer and post-industrial sources and ensures consistently high output quality for downstream recycling processes. Developed in close collaboration with partners, the solution is designed for efficiency, reliability, and scalability.
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WEIMA PreCut 3000 shredder at Tosung for shredding textile waste using a fully loaded conveyor belt
Textiles
Industrial textile shredding in South Korea
A high-performance WEIMA PreCut 3000 single-shaft shredder processes used textiles at Tosung in Chilgok, South Korea. The machine reliably and efficiently shreds various textile materials, creating the ideal foundation for downstream recycling processes. Thanks to its robust construction and high throughput, the PreCut 3000 is particularly well-suited for demanding applications in industrial textile recycling.
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Textiles are shredded in a WEIMA shredder; a view inside the shredder's cutting chamber
Textiles
Clothing and Textile Shredders for Recycling
A WEIMA W5.18 single-shaft shredder with a powerful hydraulic drive and a 40-mm screen shreds used clothing and textiles for recycling. This robust machine ensures consistent material processing and creates optimal conditions for downstream recycling and recovery processes.
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A box full of jeans in front of an orange WEIMA shredder
Textiles
Jeans Shredding with WEIMA
A WEIMA W5.18 single-shaft shredder shreds jeans and used textiles using a 25-mm screen for sustainable recycling. The powerful hydraulic drive ensures efficient and consistent material processing, providing an ideal foundation for further recycling processes.
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A briquette made from shredded textiles, held in the hands
Textiles
Briquetting of shredded textiles
A WEIMA WLK 800 single-shaft shredder efficiently and reliably shreds textile scraps for recycling. The WEIMA TH 1500 briquetting press then compresses the shredded material into compact briquettes. Briquetting significantly reduces storage and transportation costs, simplifies material handling, and efficiently prepares valuable residual materials for further processing or energy recovery.
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Down Textile Shredding: A Look Inside a Shredder's Cutting Chamber
Textiles
Shredding of winter jackets filled with synthetic down
A WEIMA WL 8 single-shaft shredder efficiently shreds jackets filled with synthetic down for recycling. The resulting filling material is then reused as insulation, while the remaining textile components are processed separately and returned to the recycling cycle. This allows valuable raw materials to be sustainably recovered and waste to be significantly reduced.
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Portrait of Erik Hagen, Sales Director at WEIMA
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WEIMA Solutions for Shredding and Briquetting Textiles

The right machine for every material
WEIMA WLK 1500 yksiakselinen murskain
Single-shaft shredder
WLK Series
Machines in the WLK series are ideally suited for a wide range of plastic processing tasks. The machine design is characterized in particular by its durability and robustness. Thanks to the conveyor belt cutout, all machines can be seamlessly integrated into any production line. They also offer numerous options in terms of drive and cutting geometry.
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WEIMA WLK 25
Single-shaft shredder
S7 Series
With their extremely robust design and large rotor diameters of up to 700 mm, the S7 series shredders offer virtually unlimited applications for the shredding of plastic waste. They are capable of handling any task and can be equipped with a high-torque hydraulic drive.
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WEIMA TH 214 press
Die-cutting press
TH 1200
The TH 1200 briquetting press is used in craft and industrial settings to briquette large quantities of wood chips, dust, polystyrene, foam, light metals, paper, or biomass. Thanks to its modular design, the TH Standard S series can be precisely adapted to your existing production facilities. To increase throughput and machine availability, Duo, Trio, or Quattro configurations are also available.
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Did you know?
Every year, approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are generated worldwide—that’s roughly one truckload of clothing being incinerated or landfilled every second.


United Nations Environment Programm

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Recycling und Verwertung von Textilien und Kleidung

Das Wichtigste im Überblick
An employee places textiles on a conveyor belt
Textiles on a conveyor belt before shredding
Types of textiles
In textile recycling, the main distinction is made between natural fibers (e.g., cotton or wool), synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon, and blended fabrics. In addition, there are technical textiles, nonwovens, post-consumer textiles from used clothing, and post-industrial textiles from production waste. Depending on the material, the requirements for sorting, shredding, and the recycling process vary significantly. Industrial WEIMA shredders can be flexibly adapted to different types of textiles.
Shredded textiles in a WEIMA WLK 1500 shredder.
Contaminants in textile shredding
When shredding textiles, various contaminants can affect the recycling process. These include, in particular, metal parts such as zippers, buttons, or eyelets, as well as plastics, rubber, foams, or foreign materials from composite textiles. Heavily soiled or damp materials are also problematic. These contaminants can increase wear and tear, compromise material quality, or complicate downstream recycling processes. For this reason, shredding systems are often combined with magnetic separators, separation technology, or custom cutting systems.
Reuse, reduce, recycle concept background. Recycle symbol made from old clothing on yellow background. Top view or flat lay.
Regulatory requirements are becoming stricter in Europe
The European Union is significantly changing the requirements for the collection, reuse, and recycling of textiles. Starting in 2025, used textiles must be collected separately in EU member states. The goal is to reduce the amount of textiles that are incinerated or landfilled and instead return more materials to the recycling loop. For recycling companies, waste management firms, and textile manufacturers, this means that efficient processes for sorting, processing, and recycling used textiles are required. Shredding plays a key role in this process, as it prepares textiles for downstream recycling processes and enables more efficient material separation. Industrial solutions such as WEIMA shredders help process various types of textile waste in a cost-effective and reliable manner.
Woman in fashion dress on the large pile stack of textile fabric clothes and shoes. Global climate change, fashion industry pollution, sustainability and reuse cocnept, generative ai
Fast fashion as a driver of waste
Fast fashion contributes significantly to the global increase in textile waste. Due to rapidly changing collections, low production costs, and short lifespans, clothing and textiles are discarded much more frequently. Many products are also made of blended fabrics or low-quality materials that are difficult to recycle. As a result, the volume of used textiles, production scraps, and returns is continuously increasing. For recycling and recovery companies, this means a growing need for efficient solutions for sorting, shredding, and processing textiles. Industrial shredders from WEIMA help prepare textile waste for reuse and recycling and return materials to the circular economy.
Shredded textiles in a pile
Typical goals of textile shredding
Volume reduction: Significantly reduce transportation and disposal costs.
Preparation for recycling processes: Optimal particle size for mechanical recycling, fiber separation, RDF (refuse-derived fuel), and chemical recycling
Recovery of valuable raw materials: Recover usable fibers and recycled materials.
Data Protection & Brand Destruction: Secure destruction of misproduced items, returns, or branded goods.
Briquette made from shredded textiles
That is why textile recycling is becoming increasingly important
- EU-wide guidelines on the separate collection of textiles
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Increasing requirements for recycling rates
- Increased demand for recycled materials
- Growing demand for textile-to-textile recycling
- Rising disposal costs for mixed waste
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Free material tests in the WEIMA technical center
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Frequently Asked Questions About Textile Recycling

The requirements for the recycling of used textiles and production scraps are constantly increasing. Recycling companies and textile manufacturers face the challenge of processing materials efficiently and complying with new EU regulations. Below, we answer key questions about the shredding and recycling of textiles.
What role does shredding play in textile recycling?

Shredding is a key step in the textile recycling process. It reduces the volume of material, homogenizes different textiles, and specifically prepares fabrics for downstream processes such as sorting, separation, fiber opening, or chemical recycling. Depending on the application, different shredding methods and particle sizes are used.

What types of textiles can be processed using WEIMA machines?

WEIMA industrial shredders can process a wide variety of textile materials, including clothing, production scraps, blended fabrics, polyester, cotton, nonwovens, carpets, and technical textiles. Even bulky or tightly compressed materials, such as baled goods, can be reliably processed.

Why is the separate collection and recycling of textiles becoming increasingly important in the EU?

The European Union is tightening its requirements for the circular economy and the separate collection of textiles. Companies in the recycling, waste management, and textile manufacturing sectors must therefore develop new recycling pathways. Shredding often serves as the technical foundation for efficiently processing and recycling used textiles.

How does shredding affect the quality of the recycling process?

Consistent and gentle shredding improves process stability in downstream recycling facilities. For example, consistent particle sizes facilitate sorting, metal separation, and fiber recovery. At the same time, contaminants and impurities can be more effectively separated.

What challenges are involved in shredding textiles?

Textiles are considered challenging due to their long fibers, elastic properties, and varied material compositions. Blended fabrics and technical textiles, in particular, can place high demands on the rotor, blades, and drive system. Industrial shredders, such as those manufactured by WEIMA, are therefore customized to the specific material and throughput requirements.

Can shredded textiles be reused as raw materials?

Yes. Shredded textiles are often used as feedstock for mechanical or chemical recycling. Depending on the material, they can be turned into new fibers, insulation materials, nonwoven fabrics, or substitute fuels. The goal is to keep textile raw materials in circulation for as long as possible and reduce waste.