Performance textiles are engineered to do more—but their complexity also makes them harder to recycle. Waterproof and breathable fabrics often combine polyester, polyurethane (PU) membranes, elastane and adhesives in tightly bonded structures that conventional mechanical recycling struggles to separate.
SINGTEX™ developed RePUra™, a patented chemical textile-to-textile recycling technology designed to address this challenge. Instead of relying on physical separation, RePUra™ uses chemical depolymerization and regeneration to recover valuable PU-related material from complex composite textile waste and return it to high-performance applications.
The technology is designed for selected PET/PU and PET/elastane composite waste streams, subject to feedstock qualification. Different colours can be evaluated without a conventional dedicated decolorization step, helping simplify the route from waste material to regenerated feedstock.
For SINGTEX™, circularity is not complete unless performance is retained. RePUra™ has been developed for a range of PU membrane applications, with performance targets reaching 20,000 mmH₂O waterproofness and 20,000 g/m²/24h moisture permeability, depending on the membrane design, final fabric construction and applicable test method.
The innovation was recognised with a 2025 R&D 100 Award and is supported by an expanding global patent application portfolio, reflecting SINGTEX®’s continued investment in advancing RePUra™ technology across international markets.
RePUra™ also arrives as the textile industry faces growing pressure to create more traceable and circular product systems. Under the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), large companies have been prohibited from destroying unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear since 19 July 2026, reinforcing the need for viable reuse, remanufacturing and recycling pathways.
SINGTEX™ sees RePUra™ not simply as a recycled membrane, but as a platform for collaboration. Brands can begin with material assessment, pilot recycling and performance validation before moving towards larger-scale closed-loop applications.
By addressing one of performance textiles’ most difficult recycling gaps, RePUra™ aims to turn complex textile waste into the starting point for the next generation of functional materials.
About SINGTEX™
SINGTEX™ is a performance textile innovation company developing advanced functional fabrics, material technologies and integrated textile solutions for global apparel and outdoor markets. It is also the developer of S.Café® technology.
Learn more at www.singtex.com
