Green-Tex members visited DOK-ING

As part of the Green-Tex project, project members Prof. Ph.D. Sandra Bischof and Prof. Ph.D. Tanja Pušić visited the DOK-ING plant. This company has long been known for its innovations in the field of robotics, and the latest innovation is extremely significant for the textile, leather, clothing and footwear sector.

The newest LOOPER mobile system was presented by dr.sc. Danica Maljković, director of energy and sustainability in the DOK-ING group. The system is designed primarily for the utilization of non-recyclable organic waste, which thus becomes a valuable raw material for obtaining hydrogen or hydrogen-rich gas, i.e. green energy. In doing so, it is important to emphasize that the principle of operation is gasification without the presence of oxygen, and in this way no harmful decomposition products are created, and there are no negative emissions of CO₂ into the environment. This technology is an excellent example of a circular economy because waste from different industries becomes a raw material that represents new value, and even the solid residue (ash) that is a by-product can be used for different purposes in the construction industry.

Taking into the consideration that 1^st January 2025. is date when the EU regulation on the mandatory separate collection of textiles and footwear and its disposal and better utilization comes into force – this innovation arrives at the right time. With the further development of modules with increased capacities (up to 6 and 25 tons of waste per day), Croatia could become a leader in the field of textile waste efficient usage, including technical textiles and footwear.