The first phase to give new life to cuttings, production waste or old garments is called sorting, i.e. the classification of the different products to be recycled by color, fibrous composition and fineness. Everything is done using touch, sight and hearing (the sound of the breaking of textiles is different depending on the composition), the senses are refined over time with the experience of being “pillow” (typical position on the ground operator). In this way, any accessories present in the garments, such as labels, embroidery, zippers or buttons, are also eliminated. In the Prato textile tradition, the person in charge of this process has always been called “cenciaiolo”, precisely because his job is to divide the so-called rags. A monument in the city of Prato was also dedicated to him, a very important figure in recycling.
