Sustainability has become an increasingly important topic in recent years, as people become more aware of the impact that human activities have on the environment. One area where sustainability is particularly important is in the fashion industry,
where fast fashion and overconsumption have led to significant environmental and social problems such as excessive water use, water pollution, air pollution, waste in landfills, microplastics, etc
One way that the fashion industry can become more sustainable is by recycling products that are destined for landfills or for incineration.
Polyester fibre and PET, the most used in the clothing industry and plastics industry, contributes to the generation of waste. Polyester can be recycled to produce recycled polyester or rPET which can be effectively used in the manufacture of clothing such as t-shirts. The material for recycled polyester (rPET) is made from recycled plastic bottles and other post-consumer materials. Using rPET has several advantages for the environment over traditional polyester in energy use, water use and the reduction of waste.
Sustainability Benefits of using recycled polyester
Reduces water usage by upto 90%
Usage of rPET helps conserve water significantly. Traditional polyester production is a water- intensive process. Large amounts of water are required to extract and refine the raw materials. The production of recycled polyester however requires significantly less water as it is made from post-consumer plastic bottles that have already been made. The plastic is sterilised and crushed to turn it into the material.
Decreases greenhouse gas emissions by upto 79%
The production of traditional polyester generates significant greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These emissions contribute to climate change and are major environmental concerns. However, the production of recycled polyester generates significantly lower emissions than traditional polyester as it requires less energy to produce. In fact, a 2017 life-cycle study found that generating recycled polyester (rPET) produces 79% less carbon footprint than generating virgin PET.
Lessens the need to extract new resources that can contribute to climate change
Image link One of the main benefits of using recycled polyester is that it reduces the need to extract new resources. Traditional polyester is made from petroleum, a finite resource that must be extracted from the earth. This extraction and processing can be harmful to the environment and contributes to climate change. In contrast, recycled polyester is made from post-consumer plastic bottles, which have already been used and would otherwise end up in landfills or the ocean. By
At Ecojay, our range of GRS Certified eco-friendly apparel enables you to dress fashionably while promoting sustainability. Our apparel is made from pre-consumer recycled cotton blended with post-consumer recycled polyester which reduces water usage by over 90% and uses 0% dyes in production.
