Module manager: Giuseppe Tronci
Email: g.tronci@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
TEXT5210M Healthcare Materials & Products TEXT5220M Technical Textiles and Non Wovens
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module provides a comprehensive understanding of circularity in the textile industry. The module will focus on circular business models that precipitate recycling such as rental, resale and repair/ remanufacture, amongst other circular concepts such as consumption reduction through circular design strategies such as textile and apparel durability.
The module delves into the technical aspects of collecting and sorting textile waste, including the classification processes involved and how textile solid waste (pre-consumer, post- consumer and post-industrial can flow through appropriate circular material systems such as resale or recycling. Topics then focus on the technicalities of mechanical, thermomechanical, and chemical recycling methods to develop a strong understanding of material limitations, complexities and quality variations between virgin and recycled polymers. Students will gain the technical knowledge and criticality to understand barriers to implementing circular solutions in textiles, whilst having an awareness of the possibilities and need for scalability.
The module is assessed through a report, where students synthesise their learning to evaluate specific aspects of textile circularity. This approach ensures that students gain both the technical expertise and critical perspective needed to address sustainability challenges in the textile sector. Lectures deliver foundational knowledge on circularity policies, design strategies, and recycling technologies, while case studies, lab demos and fieldwork provide practical insights and industry perspectives.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Critically discuss the principles, policies, business models and design strategies underpinning circularity in the textile industry.
2. Analyse the key barriers to textile recycling and create innovative strategies to address and overcome these obstacles.
3. Critically synthesize practical knowledge from lab-based demonstrations of recycling processes to assess the performance of virgin versus recycled fibres, and their implications on quality and application.
Skill learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Reflect on and evaluate personal and professional growth achieved during the module, integrating theoretical knowledge and practical experiences to identify strengths, areas for development, and strategies for continuous improvement in the field of study.
5. Articulate, synthesise, and critically evaluate complex ideas through integration of theoretical insights with evidence- based analysis.
This module addresses the critical need for circular transformation within the textile industry, driven by escalating waste challenges and regulatory imperatives such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It examines the interplay of circular business models (rental, resale, and repair) with strategies for reducing consumption, such as enhancing textile durability. Students will investigate aspects such as waste collection, manual and automatic sorting and innovations in material identification. The technicalities of mechanical, thermomechanical, and chemical recycling processes will then be covered through practical demonstrations, lectures and seminars. The module fosters technical expertise and critical analysis, enabling students to navigate barriers to circular transformation such as infrastructure, material quality and scalability.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 14 | 1 | 14 |
| Seminars | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Practicals | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| Fieldwork | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Private study hours | 114 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 36 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Students will receive formative feedback in the seminar sessions where the reflective log and report will be developed.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Report and reflective log | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2025
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