Valorizing denim and Polyethylene sheet waste to fiber‐reinforced composites

Abstract 75% of textile waste ends up in landfills globally due to inappropriate recycling or upcycling infrastructure. One of the possible solutions to bring this waste to life is to convert it into composite materials. In this study, composites were developed using denim fabric waste as reinforcement (woven and nonwoven fabric) and polyethylene sheet waste as a matrix. The developed composites were placed in a controlled environment for 12 weeks for accelerated aging. The drop weight impact behavior was tested and compared to unaged samples. It was noted that, for the range studied, aging at elevated temperatures and in a humid environment significantly enhances resistance to impact loads and the ability to absorb energy up to 40%. The results showed that woven fabric‐reinforced composites have up to 70% better load distribution compared to nonwoven fabric‐reinforced composites. There are also some benefits and drawbacks, for example, with nonwoven fabric, we can achieve different thicknesses and areal densities; however, with woven fabric, there are some limitations. The CO _2eq emissions calculations revealed significant data that may help industry to decide on CO ₂ emission mitigation strategies. Textile waste was found to be a potential low‐cost source that can be used, depending on the intended application. Highlights Recycling of Denim waste to a value‐added sustainable product Preparation of circular composites with recycled denim waste and polyethylene Aging behavior of developed composites under a controlled environment Investigating mechanical properties of composites for automobile applications CO _2eq emissions calculations for the mitigation of environmental impacts