Abstract: An air handling apparatus and method for use with textile machines for filtering waste fiber material without adversely interrupting operation of the textile machine is provided. A common vacuum system is configured for drawing first, second and third independent air streams from the textile machine. Each of the independent air streams conveys a type of waste fiber material from the textile machine. A filtering system in pneumatic communication with the common vacuum system includes filtering devices for combining and commonly filtering the air streams. The filtering system includes a first filter device configured to selectively filter the waste fiber material types from, and to combine, the first, second and third air streams so that a desired at least one waste fiber material may be conveyed by the combined air stream. The filtering system also includes a second filter device configured to separate waste fiber material from the combined air stream.