Recycled Polyester

We can’t think of any reasons NOT to choose recycled polyester over conventional. By working with the recycled alternative, we can sidestep the oil extraction required to make conventional, virgin polyester. Producing recycled polyester, in our case from post-consumer waste that otherwise risks ending up in landfills, can save up to 59% energy use, 32% CO2 emissions, and requires significantly less water compared to conventional polyester production.

What is polyester?
Polyester is one of the most common materials used in garments. Conventional polyester is a synthetic fiber based on petroleum (crude oil), just like plastic is. Crude oil is a fossil fuel that remains in the ecosystem because it is not biodegradable. From a sustainability perspective, conventional polyester is considered really bad. But to avoid the oil extraction that the production of new polyester requires, other types of already existing plastic products can be recycled, for example, PET bottles. The plastic that is used can either be "post-consumer", i.e. recycled after it has been used (PET bottles), or "pre-consumer", recycled before it even reaches the market (residues and waste from production).
Our recycled polyester derives from discarded plastic bottles. The post-consumer waste is then spun into yarn, resulting in a durable, functional fabric we especially like to use in outerwear and other items you don't have to wash regularly — limiting the shed of microplastics in our waters. It is our second most used fiber, representing around 10% of our production in volume.

Advantages of recycled polyester
The advantages of choosing recycled polyester instead of conventional are thus many. No oil is required during production, it saves energy, Co2, and water and it is made from plastic (bottles) that would otherwise have risked ending up in landfills or out in nature.

Read more about recycled polyester here.