Tex-Crete—Carbon and Cost Assessment of Concrete with Textile and Carboard Fibres—Case Studies Towards Circular Economy

Concrete and other cementitious materials are among the most widely used construction materials worldwide. However, their high embodied carbon emissions and energy-intensive manufacturing processes pose significant environmental challenges. This study assesses the carbon emissions, cost implications, and circularity potential of a novel concrete mix, Tex-crete, which incorporates recycled textile and cardboard fibres as sustainable alternatives to conventional reinforcement and cementitious materials in concrete. The study employs a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to compare carbon emissions and costs across different mix designs, using two case studies: a temporary construction site compound and a footpath. Experimental results indicate that Tex-crete, particularly the KFT mix design (including 2.5% textile fibres with treated kraft fibres), achieves comparable compressive and tensile strength to traditional concrete while demonstrating a net reduction in both carbon emissions (3.38%) and production costs (2.56%). A newly introduced circularity index (CI) further evaluated the reuse, repair, and recycling potential of the novel mix, revealing that KFT exhibits the highest circularity score (0.44). Parametric analysis using Monte Carlo simulations highlighted transportation distance and energy consumption during fibre processing as key factors influencing emissions. The findings provide valuable insights for industry stakeholders seeking sustainable concrete solutions aligned with circular economy principles, offering an optimized balance between environmental performance, structural integrity, and cost-effectiveness.