Recycled Polyester Fabrics

Too little recycled materials are used

The polyester yarns woven in our fabrics are made of 100 % Recycled Polyester (rPET).

Only around 2% of input for clothing production comes from recycled materials,
mostly polyester from recycled PET bottles.
(source: A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future, Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation, 28 November 2017)

This increases the price of fabrics because a virgin polyester yarn is cheaper than a recycled one.
Being 100% committed to environment protection means no compromise and to use 100% recycled polyester yarns.

The recycled polyester yarn we use is GRS (Global Recycle Standard) certified. This international, voluntary, full product standard sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices and chemical restrictions.

Recycled bottles are transformed into fibber. The process consists in depolymerizing post-consumer PET back into its original feedstock building block, allowing for the (re)manufacture of PET sustainably.
This forms an important contribution to the reduction of virgin input to the textiles industry and an important proof of concept for the use of recycled materials in clothing. In 2020, recycled polyester represents only 14%¹ of the annual polyester fiber production. That means 86% of new virgin polyester is still annually produced.

GRS certified recycled polyester meaning recycled polyester respecting social and environmental practices and chemical restrictions is a small part of these 14%.

• it uses between 30 and 50 per cent less energy, reduces the need for primary extraction of crude oil and cuts the amount disposed in landfill.
• it does not need any ton of oil where as 1 tonne of virgin polyester needs 1,1 tonne of oil³. Less extracted oil, more recycled plastic bottles, less bottles in the oceans, more pressure put on big brands to integrate recycled polyester in their collection, one step more to create a virtuous circle.
• our recycled polyester is a mechanically recycled polyester from post consumed bottles. Together we need to continue the move and accelerate the transition. That’s why we only offer fabrics whose polyester is 100% recycled (rPET). Offering a fabric with less than 100% recycled polyester is marketing and promotional strategy.

Sources

1. https://oecotextiles.blog/2009/07/14/why-is-recycled-polyester-considered-a-sustainable-textile/ ,2009
2. Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report 2020, Textile Exchange, 2020
3. A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashions’s Future, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017
4. https://www.statista.com/statistics/265203/global-oil-production-since-in-barrels-per-day/ , 2021 
5. https://www.commonobjective.co/article/fibre-briefing-polyester

rPET or recycled polyester is part of a zero waste and circular economy approach. By the reuse of already produced materials which are otherwise doomed to destruction and therefore the non-generation of virgin polyester from petroleum, it is considered a material serving responsible fashion.

rPET or recycled polyester comes from the recycling of plastic bottles, which pollute the planet, and in particular the oceans.
Organizations have been created and are active in cleaning up the oceans. They work with fishermen to extract the plastic that pollutes the seas and threatens marine biodiversity, in order to recycle it. This recycled plastic can sometimes be transformed into a new garment.

Recycling polyester from waste makes it possible to act already upstream in the chain and reduce the total quantity of polyester produced and oil extracted. In addition, rPET requires 30 to 50% less energy to produce than conventional PET, according to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).

However, we must remain vigilant with our recycled polyester or rPET clothing. We can play a role in the pollution of the oceans by our washing machines. It is a source of pollution that is difficult to quantify. As on a virgin polyester garment, plastic micro-particles can be released during washing and therefore impact the environment.

One solution that we have identified that seems to be effective is the Guppy Friend wash bag. Click on the link to learn good washing tips on how to reduce microplastic shedding
This bag limits friction that can cause pilling and limits the leakage of microfibers into nature.
It is made of 100% undyed polyamide, additive free and recyclable (just remove the zipper before recycling).
Use: Place the recycled polyester clothes in the bag (fill it halfway to the maximum). Gather clothes of the same color preferably and favor a low temperature in order to limit the wear of your clothes.
Available on our shop.