Maidstone Borough Council and sustainable materials company RECOOL are using old clothes to fix potholes in Maidstone’s parks as part of a new trial.
The council is trialling a pothole repair material made from recycled textile waste at Mote Park and Penenden Heath.
The pilot is taking place on council-owned land and does not involve public roads, which are maintained by Kent County Council.
As the authority responsible for maintaining parks, open spaces and car parks across the borough, Maidstone Borough Council hopes the trial will show whether the material can provide a durable, more sustainable alternative to traditional repair methods.
The material uses recycled textile waste to fill most of the pothole, with a specialist surfacing layer applied on top.
Five potholes, two at Mote Park and three at Penenden Heath, have been repaired using an experimental low-carbon product developed by RECOOL.
Maidstone Borough Council says that by repurposing textile waste in repair materials, the project aims to support more circular and sustainable approaches to infrastructure maintenance.
Commenting on the trial, Councillor Rachel Rodwell, Cabinet Member for Climate Transition and Nature Recovery, said: “While second-hand selling sites have helped extend the life of many clothes, fast fashion means huge amounts of textiles are still being thrown away every year.”
“This pilot is about turning that problem into an opportunity. By testing whether waste textiles can be repurposed as part of a pothole repair material, we’re exploring a practical solution that could reduce waste, cut carbon emissions and support the circular economy.”
The repairs will now be monitored over the coming months to assess their performance under normal park use and weather conditions.