Sustainable reuse of fashion waste as flame-retardant mattress filing with ecofriendly chemicals

There has been increased attention from global organisations and fashion brands on the problems associated with fashion waste. This study sought to recycle fashion waste clothing collected from Australian consumers into fibre blends to reuse as a filling material in children's mattresses. The fibre blends were quantitatively analysed for composition. Then the fibers were treated with eco-friendly flame-retardant finishes, and the flame retardancy was evaluated by limiting oxygen index and electrical burner test. The treated fibres were further characterised by thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared, and X-ray diffraction. The quantitative fibre blend analysis indicated that the predominant fibres used in the clothing of Australian consumers are cotton, followed by polyester. The application of green flame-retardant finishes aided in the improvement of the flame retardancy to the standard level, as shown by the limiting oxygen index and electrical burner test. It was also observed that the flame-retardant finish increased the thermal stability of the fibre blend, which delayed and reduced the thermal degradation and decomposition of the mattress filling. Furthermore, the presence of the flame-retardant finish was determined by the Fourier-transform infrared, but there was no change to the chemical composition of the treated fibre blend samples.