The new ‘ReFactory’ factory, a first for the region, will see waste textiles remanufactured into new products “that will put Hull on the map as an innovation centre for textiles recycling”.Additionally, up to 30 new jobs will be created to form a dedicated ReFactory team, introducing new skills to the area.
The two-storey, 1,300 sq m space, being constructed within a derelict area of MyGroup’s Morley Street campus, will introduce “state-of-the-art recycling and remanufacturing processes” for waste textiles including clothing, accessories and home furnishings.Multi-product materials are collected, cleaned and broken down to be transformed into new garments, accessories and other products created by a “multi-disciplinary team [of] designers, pattern cutters and sewing machinists [supported by] sales and administrative support staff”.“By adopting an end-to-end recycling and remanufacturing process, the factory aims to divert a substantial portion of textile waste from landfill and incineration. This circular approach ensures that discarded textiles find new life, reducing the demand for virgin resources and mitigating the environmental impact of textile production”, MyGroup said.The first phase of the factory will be complete this autumn, including the sewing floor, pattern-cutting studio and storage. Further phases will add the sorting, grading and washing spaces, as well as offices and a training centre. A further £400k investment is planned for the factory, set to be fully operational by the spring of 2024.Steve Carrie, Director, MyGroup, said: “We’re ahead of the curve and building a factory of the future – our end-to-end recycling process combined with remanufacturing capabilities will revolutionise the way our industry thinks about textiles waste.”