Redirecting Textile Waste into Home Insulation for Detroit Homes

Imagine beginning the week enjoying a nice spring day then experiencing a snowstorm and back to spring all within a span of a week. Does that sound familiar? In Michigan it is! Summers are incredibly warm, and winters are bitterly cold. With a climate that varies building insulation becomes a very important factor.  Updating insulation is one of the most cost-effective recommendations for homeowners, helping reduce heating and cooling bills.  Traditional building insulation consists of fiberglass. Some of these materials even contain recycled materials. But what if building insulation could also address another sustainability challenge?  Textile waste is growing exponentially, the EPA estimates 11 million tons went to the landfill in 2018, due to fast fashion and a lack of textile recycling infrastructure. As more textile waste is generated, more material fills landfills and carbon emissions grow from this linear supply chain.  Two challenges meet at an unlikely crossroads and one NextCycle Team has an innovative solution.

Solution – EcoBlow  

NexTiles, a Detroit-based start-up, is developing and testing an energy-efficient home building insulation material. The company picks up textile materials – clothing, furniture, and auto interior materials – shreds, treats, and gives them new life as a low dust, eco-friendly building insulation called EcoBlow. EcoBlow is heat and insect resistant as well as flame retardant. It can be easily installed in wall cavities and attics. “The Midwest is an ideal area to market EcoBlow because it has older housing stock compared to most of the country”, said Madeline Walker, CEO of NexTiles. “In Detroit, 60% of homes were built before 1970 posing a good opportunity for insulation upgrades.”

The Result

 In September 2020, the team began their local textile pick-up operation of waste material in Southeast Michigan followed by textile shipments of pre-consumer manufactured waste. A year later, NexTiles was accepted into the 2021 NextCycle Michigan Recycling Innovation & Technology (RIT) cohort. “During the initial kick-off call with the NextCycle Team, Madeline was clearly a powerhouse”, said Meghan Wiebe, RIT Track Lead. “She clearly articulated the value proposition of her company and areas of opportunity.” Throughout programming, Madeline consulted with industry experts at Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) and Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University to further build out NexTiles’ business plan and refine a business pitch to attract potential partners. At the conclusion of the program, Madeline won the NextCycle Michigan RIT Pitch Competition, judged by investors and industry experts, for a cash prize of $16,000. NexTiles also received a $500 People’s Choice Award, voted on by the audience. Through the in-person event, she connected with raw material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, builders, supply chain partners, and investors. As of July 2022, NexTiles continues to work with Centrepolis Accelerator. Through this partnership, the company completed its first round of material lab testing, purchased its first shredder, and is in the process of a formal risk assessment. NexTiles was selected by EGLE for a 2022 Recycling Market Development Grant and awarded a mini grant of $10,000 through the NextCycle Michigan MICROS Track to further their product development.  NexTiles is well on its way to launching its first product to market by the end of 2022.

Learn more about NexTiles by visiting their website at www.nextiles.org.