Circular Innovation in Healthcare: How Concordia Textiles and its partners close the loop

It all begins at Wasserij Dumoulin, where used hospital sheets from healthcare facilities are carefully collected and cleaned. At Westlandia, the fitted sheets are sorted and elastics and care labels are removed. Then, Purfi, a joint ventuere with Concordia Textiles takes over breaking the fabric down to its purest form. This is where Purfi's innovative Rejuvenation & Reverse Spinning Technology comes into play : the fibers are dismantled, purified, ready to be spun back into high-quality yarns.

Next, the rejuvenated fibres are spun again into new bobbins by European Spinning Group, laying the foundation for their next life cycle. These yarns are then processed by Socomaille, part of Concordia Textiles Group, where they are knitted into new high-quality sheets , that match the comfort and durability of the originals.

Finally, the renewed sheets return to Wasserij Dumoulin, where they are tested, approved, and redistributed to the healthcare sector.

And so, the fabric finds its way back to where it all began : the hospital bed. A sheet that once served its purpose now does so again, carrying a story of recycling, innovation, and circular craftsmanship in every thread.

This project is more than a technical achievement, it’s proof of what becomes possible when knowledge, technology, and collaboration come together. By rejuvenating fibres, preserving valuable resources, and reducing waste, we move toward a textile industry that doesn’t just create it renews. in doing so, we extend the life cycle of products while collectively contributing to a more sustainable future.

This project was made possible thanks to the initiative and support of Vlaanderen Circulair, who brought together key partners including Wasserij Dumoulin, Purfi, European Spinning Group, Westlandia and Socomaille, part of Concordia Textiles Group. It demonstrates that with the right approach, even seemingly worn-out textiles can be given a second life.

Although European regulations on circularity are still evolving, we believe that progress is achieved faster when the industry works together. As our CEO Carl Baekelandt explained in Sterckx Magazine, there is already sufficient capacity and technology available today, it is mainly the market that needs to grow.

In sectors such as workwear, we are already seeing this shift: recycled materials are increasingly finding their way into high-performance applications. With this project, we demonstrate that it is also possible in other segments. By joining forces with partners such as Purfi, European Spinning Group, and Dumoulin, we accelerate this positive evolution.