Short answer

Integrate recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete designs where appropriate to achieve significant reductions in carbon footprint and cost, while enhancing circularity.

Field: Sustainability
Source: Applied Sciences (2025)
Method: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Monte Carlo simulations
Evidence: Strong effect

Incorporating recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete mixes can significantly lower embodied carbon emissions and production costs while maintaining structural integrity, aligning with circular economy principles. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Applied Sciences. Using Life cycle assessment (lca) and monte carlo simulations, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Integrate recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete designs where appropriate to achieve significant reductions in carbon footprint and cost, while enhancing circularity.

Study

SustainabilityNew This WeekStrong effect

Recycled textile and cardboard fibres reduce concrete's carbon footprint by 3.38% and cost by 2.56%

Applied Sciences · 2025

Key Findings

01Tex-crete with 2.5% textile fibres and treated kraft fibres (KFT mix) shows comparable compressive and tensile strength to traditional concrete.
02The KFT mix design results in a net reduction of 3.38% in carbon emissions and 2.56% in production costs.
03The KFT mix achieved the highest circularity score (0.44) based on reuse, repair, and recycling potential.
04Transportation distance and energy consumption in fibre processing are critical factors affecting emissions.

Application

Design takeaway

Integrate recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete designs where appropriate to achieve significant reductions in carbon footprint and cost, while enhancing circularity.

How to apply

When designing concrete structures, explore the feasibility of incorporating treated recycled textile and cardboard fibres, performing an LCA to quantify environmental benefits and cost savings.

Project actions

01When selecting materials, consider their environmental impact and potential for recycling.
02Investigate the use of waste materials as substitutes for virgin resources in your design projects.
03Quantify the environmental benefits (e.g., carbon footprint reduction) and cost savings of your material choices.

Method & Evidence

AimTo assess the carbon emissions, cost implications, and circularity potential of concrete incorporating recycled textile and cardboard fibres compared to conventional concrete.

MethodLife Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Monte Carlo simulations

ProcedureA cradle-to-gate LCA was conducted to compare carbon emissions and costs of different Tex-crete (concrete with recycled fibres) mix designs against traditional concrete. A circularity index was developed and applied. Parametric analysis using Monte Carlo simulations was performed to identify key influencing factors.

ContextConstruction materials, concrete production, circular economy

Variables

IV["Type and percentage of recycled fibres (textile, cardboard)","Fibre treatment methods"]

DV["Compressive strength","Tensile strength","Carbon emissions","Production costs","Circularity index"]

CV["Cementitious material content","Aggregate type and proportion","Water-cement ratio","Curing conditions"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Employs a comprehensive LCA approach.
+Introduces a novel circularity index for material assessment.
+Utilizes Monte Carlo simulations for robust parametric analysis.

Limitations

The availability and consistent quality of recycled fibres can be a challenge. The long-term performance of such concrete in various climates and structural loads needs more extensive testing.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliability is supported by the use of established LCA methodologies and Monte Carlo simulations. Validity is enhanced by comparing experimental results against traditional concrete and by introducing a new metric (circularity index).

Think critically

To what extent can the findings of this study be generalized to different types of construction projects and geographical locations, considering variations in waste availability and processing infrastructure?

Design Principles

"Waste materials can be valorized as functional components in new products, contributing to a circular economy and reducing environmental impact."

This research offers a practical pathway for the construction industry to reduce its substantial environmental impact. By utilizing waste materials as functional components, designers and engineers can develop more sustainable building materials that are both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.

What This Means for Your Design

Using old clothes and cardboard in concrete can make it greener and cheaper without making it weaker.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the environmental impact of material choices in your design project.
2.Use the findings to justify the selection of sustainable materials and to quantify their benefits.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research by Sandanayake et al. (2025) demonstrates that incorporating recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete mixes, specifically the KFT design, can lead to a 3.38% reduction in carbon emissions and a 2.56% decrease in production costs, while maintaining comparable structural performance to traditional concrete. This highlights the potential for waste valorization in construction materials to support circular economy principles and reduce environmental impact.

Source

Applied Sciences

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

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about recycled textile and cardboard fibres reduce concrete's carbon footprint by 3.38% and cost by 2.56%?: Integrate recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete designs where appropriate to achieve significant reductions in carbon footprint and cost, while enhancing circularity. Evidence: Applied Sciences (2025).
Why does "Recycled textile and cardboard fibres reduce concrete's carbon footprint by 3.38% and cost by 2.56%" matter for design?: This research offers a practical pathway for the construction industry to reduce its substantial environmental impact. By utilizing waste materials as functional components, designers and engineers can develop more sustainable building materials that are both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.
How can designers apply this research?: Integrate recycled textile and cardboard fibres into concrete designs where appropriate to achieve significant reductions in carbon footprint and cost, while enhancing circularity.
What were the main findings?: Tex-crete with 2.5% textile fibres and treated kraft fibres (KFT mix) shows comparable compressive and tensile strength to traditional concrete.. The KFT mix design results in a net reduction of 3.38% in carbon emissions and 2.56% in production costs.. The KFT mix achieved the highest circularity score (0.44) based on reuse, repair, and recycling potential.. Transportation distance and energy consumption in fibre processing are critical factors affecting emissions.
What research method was used?: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Monte Carlo simulations.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Applied Sciences.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing concrete structures, explore the feasibility of incorporating treated recycled textile and cardboard fibres, performing an LCA to quantify environmental benefits and cost savings.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on specific mix designs and case studies; broader validation across different applications and fibre types may be needed. Long-term durability and performance in diverse environmental conditions require further investigation.