Challenges and Opportunities in Recycling Upholstery Textiles: Enhancing High-Density Fiberboards with Recycled Fibers

Recycling upholstery textiles is particularly challenging due to the complex composition of these materials, which often include a mix of fabrics, foams, and adhesives that are difficult to separate. The intricate designs and multiple layers in upholstered furniture make dismantling for recycling labor-intensive and costly. Additionally, contaminants such as stains, finishes, and flame retardants further complicate the recycling process. Despite these challenges, recycling upholstery textiles is crucial for reducing landfill waste and conserving resources by reusing valuable materials. It also helps mitigate environmental pollution and carbon emissions associated with producing new textiles from virgin resources. The research presented aimed to determine the feasibility of incorporating waste artificial leather fibers from the upholstery furniture industry into the structure of high-density fiberboards. This approach positively impacts carbon capture and storage (CCS) policy and addresses the issue of waste being sent to landfills. The research findings indicate that although certain mechanical and physical properties of the panels decrease with an increasing content of recycled textile fibers, it is possible to meet the required European standards by adjusting technological parameters, such as nominal density.