Fabric recycling is a great sustainable solution especially for performance brands.
For example, petroleum-based poly and nylon are perfect for exercise and swim, but can be damaging to the environment.
By recycling plastic into new textiles, brands can still use these performance fabrics while helping the planet.
Recycled fabrics are made by breaking down waste materials and then using that to create new, sustainable fibers and fabrics.
Material sources can comr from both pre-consumer waste like textile remnants as well as post-consumer waste like used clothing.
Physical or mechanical recycling takes old textiles and uses what is essentially a giant blender to break them down back into fibers that can then be respun into yarns and made into new fabric.
While the process is totally chemical-free, it does have its downsides. Eatch time a fiber goes through the process it becomes weaker, and of lower quality.
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In the chemcial recyling process, fabrics are broken down into a liquid with the use of different chemiclas.
The liquid is then used to extrude new fibers.
While old polyester can create new polyester fabircs, cotton fibers become rayon in this process.
Recycled polyester (rPET) and nylon, are both petroleum-based, and can use materials like ocean plastic to create new fibers and fabrics.
rPET is more environmentally friendly than virgin polyester, not just becuase it uses waste materials, but because it uses less energy and and has lower CO2 emissions than virgin options.
Mechanical or chemcial systems make a big difference.
In cotton recycling, mechanical recycling processes allow the fibers to stay in their natural cotton state. But, chemical recycling processes transform cotton into rayon.
Rayon can be mechnically or chemically recylced and will remain rayon.
Some of the very first recycling systems started with wool. Particularly in Italy, when there was a wool shortage and old army uniforms were upcycled into fashion garments.
Wool is a very valuable animal fiber, and this is a great example of how cost savings strategies can often lead to sustainable outcomes.
Denim gets its own section because it's special.
Traditinally in fabric dying, the dye will penetrate the fibers in the yarn, but in denim, the color actually wraps around and coats the yarn.
Because of this special systems are needed to recycle denim.
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