The BASF subsidiary Trinamix has expanded its circular economy portfolio to include new applications for the shoe and textile industries. The aim is to simplify material identification along increasingly complex value chains and at the same time increase transparency and data security.
Modern shoes and textiles often consist of complex material mixes that can hardly be clearly identified visually. At the same time, regulatory requirements and sustainability goals are increasing, making reliable material data more and more important.
Trinamix’s mobile NIR spectroscopy enables the identification of materials in just a few seconds – directly on the product and without destroying it. In the shoe industry, for example, components such as EVA, polyester or PU can be reliably determined; in textile products, blended fabrics such as cotton/polyester or viscose/polyester can not only be identified, but also quantitatively analyzed in the case of two-fiber blends. This improves incoming goods inspection, production processes as well as sorting and recycling processes while reducing contamination risks and manual effort.
This is how the technology works: The solution combines a mobile NIR spectrometer with an app and cloud-based data analysis. During the measurement, near-infrared (NIR) light is radiated onto the material. The molecules in the material then begin to vibrate, with some of the light being absorbed and some being reflected. The reflected light is captured and displayed as a spectrum, which serves as a molecular fingerprint of the material. This spectrum is then compared with a database to determine the material type.
The results are provided in real time and can be digitally documented and exported. Thanks to API interfaces, the system can be integrated into existing IT infrastructures – for example to support regulatory requirements such as the digital product passport.