As part of our Sustainable Bio&Waste Resources for Construction (SB&WRC) Interreg project, our project partners at the University of Brighton recently identified disused stuffed bedding products such as duvets and pillows as a potential material which could be developed into an insulation product.
The scoping exercise found that the textile is in plentiful supply but has a problematic waste stream due to its properties, thus the majority of it is being disposed of through landfill. Also, reuse options are limited due to health and safety concerns, and often the poor quality of used bedding.
There are already a number of commercial insulation products on the market that are made from recycled textiles, but the researchers found that none utilise stuffed bedding products. This presents an interesting opportunity to research the viability of developing an insulation product to harness this problem waste stream, which was originally engineered for insulation purposes.
The SB&WRC project is supported by the INTERREG VA France (Channel) England programme and receives financial support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
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