Material Categories Explained

Use this guide when creating a listing or demand on Eslando. It explains each field in plain English, with examples and quick tips so buyers and sellers describe materials the same way.

Q1: What is the waste material type?

a) Post-industrial

What it is: Production waste generated during manufacturing.
Examples: Cutting room clips and selvedge; cone ends and yarn breaks; spinning/knitting offcuts; dyehouse rejects that were never finished; fabric trimmings from garment factories.
Good to know: Usually cleaner, more consistent, and closer to mono-material, which recyclers love.

b) Pre-consumer

What it is: Finished products that never reached the end customer.
Examples: Cancelled orders, unsold stock (deadstock), returns without use, sample runs, mislabelled or size-curve errors.
Good to know: Often packaged and labelled; may include trims (buttons, zips) and mixed colours.

c) Post-consumer

What it is: Items used or worn by consumers and collected via take-back schemes, charities, MRFs, etc.
Examples: Worn clothing, household textiles (towels, bed linen, curtains), uniforms.
Good to know: May contain higher moisture, stains, odours, metals, plastics and mixed fibres—declare clearly.

d) Processed / Prepared

What it is: Waste that has already been mechanically processed into a recycler-ready form.
Examples: Opened/garnetted fibres/flock, defibred cotton/PET, sorted and metal-removed streams, de-trimmed garment panels.
Good to know: Ideal for recyclers seeking consistent feedstock; specify process (e.g., garnetted fibre, metal-removed, colour-sorted).

Listing tips (Q1): Always state origin (factory/brand/collector), cleanliness/contamination notes, moisture % (if known) and whether trims are present.

Q2: What is the product category?

a) Fibres

Loose fibres or flock suitable for spinning, non-wovens, or chemical recycling.
Examples: Garnetted cotton fibre, PET staple, PA fibre flock.
List with: Fibre length (if known), fineness/denier, colour, moisture %, contaminants.

b) Yarns

Single, plied, or mixed lots on cones/hanks.
Examples: 30/1 Ne cotton yarn on cones; polyester texturised yarn; mixed mill ends; seamer waste.
List with: Count/tex/denier, twist (if known), cone type, dye status, and composition.

c) Scraps / Clippings

Cutting room waste, panels, selvedge—generally clean, production-line material.
Examples: 100% cotton jersey clips; denim panels without hardware; woven selvedge rolls.
List with: Average piece size, colour mix, presence of prints/coatings, trims removed (Y/N).

d) Shredded textiles

Textiles are mechanically shredded into pieces or flakes (not yet opened into fibre).
Examples: Shredded cotton fabric pieces; shredded poly-cotton garments.
List with: Average particle size, composition, colour, contaminants, intended use (e.g., insulation feed).

e) Rolls / Roll ends

Full or part rolls of fabric.
Examples: 500 m roll of 100% cotton twill; 80 m roll-end of polyester lining.
List with: Width, GSM, weave/knit type, finish/coat, length per roll, and number of rolls.

f) Shoddy

A traditional term for reclaimed fibre blends produced by tearing/shredding textiles, often used for felts, stuffing, and insulation.
Examples: Mixed-colour woollen shoddy; multi-fibre shoddy for automotive felt.
List with: Dominant fibres & estimated %, colour family, metal/plastic removal, typical bale weight.

g) Clothing

Wearables: graded or ungraded.
Examples: Grade A/B second-hand T-shirts; unsold brand-new jeans with tags; uniforms.
List with: Grade (A/B/C/credential), category mix %, season, hardware presence, and packaging.

h) Non-clothing

Household and technical textiles.
Examples: Bed linen, towels, curtains, upholstery offcuts, bags, footwear uppers, cleaning wipes, geotextiles.
List with: Item type, composition, coatings (PU/PVC/FR), size range, and hardware.

i) Other

Use when nothing above fits; describe clearly.
Examples: Carpet tiles, composite laminates, elastane creel waste, filter cloth.
List with: Plain-English description, composition, form, and common use cases.

Listing tips (Q2): Add photos (4+ angles), bale/pallet details, typical bale weight, MOQ per lot, and lab data if available.

Q3: What is the textile type?

a) Knit

Commonly called as “jersey”. Loops of yarn—stretchier, used in jersey and many garments.
Examples: Single jersey T-shirts, rib knits, interlock, fleece.
Why it matters: Different recycling behaviour vs wovens; declare elastane %.

b) Woven

Interlaced warp and weft—stable structure.
Examples: Denim, twill, plain weave shirting, canvas.
Why it matters: Often easier to depanel/de-trim; good for mechanical recycling when mono-material.

c) Not applicable

Use for categories where fabric construction doesn’t apply.
Examples: Fibres, yarns, shoddy, shredded textiles.
Tip: If you choose this, lean on composition and form to describe the material.

d) Mix

A batch containing a mixture of knit, woven and/or non-woven items.
Examples: Mixed post-consumer clothing bales; mixed household textiles.
Tip: Provide a percentage estimate (e.g., 60% knit, 30% woven, 10% non-woven) in the description.

e) Non-woven

Bonded fibres (not knitted or woven).
Examples: Felt, interlinings, wipes, spunbond/meltblown PP, some geotextiles.
Tip: State the process (if known), GSM, fibre type, and intended use.

Listing tips (Q3): Always include composition (e.g., 95% cotton / 5% elastane), colour mix, finishes/coatings, and hardware (zips, buttons, PU prints).

Pro Tips

How to choose quickly (3 steps)

Start with the type of waste (Q1): Where did it come from? Factory floor, unsold stock, used items, or already processed?
Pick the product category (Q2): What physical form is it in right now (fibres, yarns, clippings, rolls, clothing, etc.)?
Set the textile type (Q3): Knit, woven, non-woven, mix, or not applicable.

If you’re unsure, choose the closest match and explain the edge case in the description (e.g., “mixed knit/woven, trims removed, moisture ≤3%”). Clear data helps you receive better offers faster. Always feel free to reach out to us with any question if you need clarity. Eslando is a team of textile & recycling experts.

Useful extras to include in any listing

Quantity: total tonnes available and MOQ per shipment (we recommend ≥ 5 tonnes per lot for best economics).
Packaging: bale size/density, strapping, pallets, labels.
Quality & tolerances: moisture %, max contaminants, elastane %.
Location & terms: city/country, Payment terms, lead time.
Documents: photos, test results (FTIR, burn test, IV/DPI), certificates.

Still in doubt? contact us on info@eslando.com