PICVISA and Girbau Drive the Industrial Automation of Post-Consumer Textile Recycling with a New Plant in Northern Europe
PICVISA, a specialist in AI-based optical sorting technologies for the reuse and recycling of materials, and GIRBAU, a global leader in industrial laundry and automation solutions, announce a strategic collaboration to advance the full automation of post-consumer textile sorting lines.
As a first milestone of this alliance, both companies are launching a new plant in Northern Europe that integrates Sortech — Girbau’s automated feeding and separation system — with ECOSORT, PICVISA’s textile sorting technology, into a single continuous and fully automated line.
Proven automation applied to textile recycling
Sortech is a solution developed by Girbau to automate the separation and classification of garments in high-volume industrial environments. Designed to prioritize safety, operational efficiency, and improved working conditions, Sortech eliminates repetitive manual tasks while ensuring a steady and controlled garment flow.
In this project, Sortech technology is applied beyond the laundry sector, adapted to the specific requirements of post-consumer textile sorting for reuse and recycling, where growing volumes demand robust and scalable industrial processes.
Advanced sorting for high-value reuse and recycling
PICVISA’s ECOSORT technology identifies and classifies used garments by textile composition, color, and type, generating homogeneous, higher value-added fractions for both second-hand markets and textile recycling processes.
The integration of ECOSORT with an automated feeding system such as Sortech enhances process stability, increases line productivity, and enables more precise and consistent sorting. It reduces reliance on manual labor while improving operator ergonomics.
A pioneering model for the textile circular economy
This plant positions itself as one of the first in Europe to fully integrate automated feeding and advanced optical sorting for post-consumer textile treatment, marking a key step toward the industrialization of the textile circular economy.
With this new installation, PICVISA’s ECOSORT technology reaches its eighth installation in Europe, strengthening its presence in industrial-scale post-consumer textile sorting plants.
The project also represents PICVISA’s second turnkey textile sorting plant in Europe, reinforcing its ability to design and deliver complete, integrated solutions for the textile recycling sector. Fernando Argiró, Director of Girbau Industrial, added: “Applying our expertise to textile recycling is a natural step and a global opportunity for Girbau, aligned with our purpose of generating a positive impact on people and the planet. Doing so through Sortech adds further value, as it is a solution developed together with a client that can now benefit many more plants and markets.”
Both companies foresee that this model can be replicated globally, driven by regulatory developments, reuse and recycling targets, and the need to improve efficiency and sustainability in textile sorting facilities.
Watch the video: youtu.be/GvGGLKjpxPo
(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 1/2026, Page 42 -Advertorial-, Photos: PICVISA)
