SLOW textile recycling solutions · Air & Environment

SLOW textile recycling solutions

Country: 🇨🇴 Colombia · Medellín Category: Air & Environment CT Taxonomy: CT-WA-003 — Recycling & Materials Recovery Impact Areas: Circular Economy Stage: Launched Team Size: 6.0 Website: https://slowreciclaje.com/ Funded: True (23255.0)

Elevator Pitch

We transform post-consumer and post-industrial textile waste into regenerated materials focus on complex and blended fibers that are difficult to recycle, converting them into new objects and architectural elements using concrete for regenerative design.

Climate Problem

Most textile waste is landfilled or incinerated releasing greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants. Yet less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new materials highlighting a gap in circular solutions and the urgent need for scalable textile waste recovery

Solution

SLOW transforms hard-to-recycle textile waste into regenerative materials and concrete-based design objects. By integrating complex textile fibers into concrete mixtures, we create lighter materials while diverting textile waste from landfills.

Revenue Model

SLOW operates a dual revenue model: companies pay us to collect and manage their textile waste, and we generate additional revenue by transforming recovered fibers into concrete-based design products and regenerative material projects.

Target Market

SLOW targets companies across industries that generate textile waste, as well as the sustainable design and construction sectors seeking regenerative materials. Initial market: Colombia, with future expansion to Europe’s growing circular materials market.

Social Impact

People Living in Extreme Poverty, Women

Demand Evidence

Market demand is validated through B2B clients using our textile recycling services and pilot projects testing regenerative materials for design, while concrete-based materials are currently undergoing laboratory testing for future construction applicatio

Competitors

In Colombia, we compete with around five textile waste managers providing collection and processing services. However, SLOW differentiates by transforming hard-to-recycle fibers into regenerative materials. In this area, there is no direct competitor yet.

Founder Expertise

Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise in circular fashion, finance, operations, and public policy. Together we bring experience in sustainability innovation, business development, partnerships, and building circular solutions in the textile sector

External Support

SLOW has received support through awards, accelerators, and strategic partnerships, including the GIZ Pousar Fund, Socya & Medellín Chamber of Commerce Hackathon, BritCham Sustainability Awards finalist recognition, and Green Business certification.

Team

Daniela Báez leads projects, partnerships, and public policy strategy. Santiago Cano leads operations and financial management. Vanessa Báez leads circular fashion expertise, market development, and business growth.

Founder

Vanessa Báez Morales