The introduction
The movement toward circular economies is changing the way we view fashion. Instead of seeing waste as an obstacle to overcome, we’re looking at it as a source of energy that can power closed-loop production. The idea is to shift away from the “take-make-waste” model and take an approach that is more circular in creating and removing fashion items. This involves exploring innovative ideas such as designing clothing that can be reused multiple times and referred to as cradle-to-cradle design.
What is the reason recyclability is taking on more importance? The fashion industry produces tons of waste each year, and millions of tonnes of clothing getting to be discarded. Recycling the materials that are used is becoming increasingly crucial, but it’s not simple. Clothes are typically made of mixed materials and there are not enough recycling systems in place to handle these materials. These are major challenges we must overcome.
From environmental benefits that could be a benefit to opportunities for economic growth and regulatory pressures, there’s a lot to understand in this guide. This guide will examine the most important aspects of recycling fashion-related materials as well as the challenges and opportunities we’re facing.
What does “Material Recyclability for Fashion” mean?
Material recyclability is a fashion term that refers to using old clothes to turn them back into fibers that can be used in the creation of new products. It can be accomplished by different methods, including chemical or mechanical recycling, depending on the type of fiber. The process begins with taking and sorting out the clothing that is no longer in use and breaking it into fibers that can then be reused. Each step requires proper planning to ensure they’re as efficient and sustainable as they can be.
The possibility of recycling garments is based on a number of variables:
The Fibers’ Constituents: Natural fibers often recycle more quickly than synthetic ones. For instance, wool and cotton are able to be recycled with less difficulty while synthetic fibers like polyester require more sophisticated processes. Blended materials, like a mix of polyester and cotton, present a number of issues because the process of segregating fibers for efficient recycling is labor-intensive and expensive.
Garment Style: Simple garment designs constructed from nanomaterials are simpler to recycle than ones using many materials. Utilizing one type of fiber makes sure that clothes can be processed without separation, which saves time and money. Eliminating complicated trims, zippers or embellishments can also help to streamline the process of recycling.
Process Methods for Processing: The use of dyes coatings, dyes, or chemical finishes used in the process of making garments may hinder recycling. Certain finishes and dyes contain chemicals that can be contaminants in recycling, which can affect the quality of fiber. Choosing biodegradable or recyclable products can ease these issues and make recycling more efficient.
The color and the finish: Dark colors and chemicals may make it more difficult to complete recycling. Dark colors can be more challenging to get rid of and can limit the use of recycled fibers. Selecting lighter colors and non-toxic finishes could aid in recycling and enhance the applications of recovered fibers.
Labels and Trims: Zippers, trims and other zippers that aren’t recyclable and mixed material labels can make recycling difficult. Making trims from the same fabric as the garment or making sure that they can be easily removed from the garment will dramatically improve the recycling capacity. The clear labeling of the garment to indicate the type of fiber and its recyclability may aid recyclers in efficiently sorting materials.
What is LCA, or lifecycle analysis?
One way to assess the impact on the environment of recycling is to use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). LCA examines the amount of water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions that are utilized throughout the life of a garment, beginning from the time it is created until the time it’s discarded. This allows us to determine the materials that are most suitable for reuse and how we can enhance the process of recycling.
Recycled polyester is an illustration. It is frequently marketed as a green solution since it is compatible with the existing supply chains and reduces greenhouse gas emissions – at the very very least for paper. REPREVE is a top recycled performance fiber company that claims it can reduce emissions by 60% when compared to making new polyester however, this is only applicable to producing the fiber. However the study of Toyoshima LCA found that the overall reduction in emissions of the garment that is made of recycled polyester is more like 10 percent. Polyester is also able to be reused a few times before it’s not used anymore, and that is the point at which it is disposed of in the garbage or burns. This demonstrates the limitations of relying on recycled polyester to tackle the problem of fashion waste.
Businesses continue to invest in the recycling of polyester primarily because it’s cost-effective and is easily integrated into production lines. If we want to aim towards a truly circular economy it is essential to look at materials that are able to sustain several lifecycles with no significant degradation in quality or environmental impact.
Different Fashion Materials and their recycling
Knowing the recycling potential of various materials is vital to creating sustainable fashion. Every material presents its own problems and possibilities in recycling. Knowing these will help you make better manufacturing and design choices.
Organic fibers: Wool and cotton are recyclable, but the challenges are with blends and dyes. Silk hemp, linen, and silk are recyclable, with a growing potential.
Artificial fibers: Polyester is recyclable but fiber quality can degrade with time. Recycling nylon is a challenge however, projects such as Econyl have shown potential. Materials like spandex and acrylic are among the most difficult materials to recycle.
Mixture of Materials: Blends of cotton and polyester are particularly difficult. The advancements in chemical recycling are starting to tackle these problems but advancements are slow. Innovations such as Fibersort technology are aimed at automating the process of sorting blended fibers and making recycling more efficient.
Non-woven fabrics: The three materials of rubber, leather, and plastics are not able to use recycling alternatives. Bio-based alternatives to leather are transforming this scenario. For example, firms are testing mushroom-based leathers that are recyclable and biodegradable.
The Key Methods of Recycling and Industrial Innovations
Understanding how to manage fashion waste requires a thorough understanding of the different methods of recycling. Chemical, mechanical, and hybrid solutions offer their own advantages and challenges that can aid you in making informed environmentally sustainable choices:
Mechanical Reuse
Mechanical recycling is the process of breaking down fabrics into fibers by physical processes such as shredding or tearing. This technique is efficient for all kinds of fabrics including natural fibers such as wool and cotton. The downside is that mechanical recycling could result in shorter fibers which means the quality of recycled material can be degraded when compared to natural fibers.
Mechanical recycling is a great option for waste from post-industrial processes, including fabric scraps and inventory that is not sold, since these materials tend to be better-maintained and have a stable composition than garments that were purchased from the post-consumer market. A major drawback is the inability to separate complicated blended materials, which restricts the use of this method for mixed clothing.
Recycle Chemicals
Chemical recycling is a process that breaks down natural and synthetic fibers into their molecular blocks, for example by depolymerization, which converts polyester back to monomers. This process preserves the fiber’s quality more effectively than mechanical recycling and is suitable for synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester.
Recycled cotton with enzymes as well as other cellulosic fibres is becoming popular. It makes use of enzymes to convert cellulose into reusable materials that are not compromising on quality. Chemical recycling can deal with some mixed materials, which makes it versatile however it requires significant energy and dangerous chemicals. Furthermore, the infrastructure is being developed, limiting its scalability.
Systems for Closed-loop Recycling
Closed-loop systems extract material from products that are no longer in use and use them to create new products that are of the same or better quality. These systems work best when combined with strong collection and take-back programs that are implemented by companies like Patagonia as well as H&M.
Closed-loop recycling is most effective for materials that are mechanically broken and reused without sacrificing quality, such as polyester which is recyclable repeatedly. Brands that employ closed-loop strategies focus on the design of their products that aid in recycling, using mono-materials reducing mixed trims, and removing harmful dyes. But, they rely heavily on the participation of consumers and a strong collection infrastructure.
Hybrid Methods of Recycling
Hybrid recycling integrates chemical and mechanical processes to maximize the process of recycling complex clothing. In the beginning, clothes are mechanically cut to a size that is manageable, followed by chemical processes to break down fibers and separate materials.
This technique is particularly beneficial when dealing with mixed fabrics, which are not recyclable with traditional methods. Hybrid recycling methods permit natural and synthetic fibers that be re-used in a way that is not dependent on each other. While still in the early stages for a lot of substances, the hybrid process offers the potential to make more fabrics recycled and boost fiber yield.
Automated methods for detecting and sorting various types of fibers prior to hybrid recycling are being designed to improve efficiency and cut costs for labor.
The Leadership Lessons of the Leaders Learning from Leaders: Recycled Textile Recycling Industry Examples
The Patagonia: Patagonia is renowned for its take-back programs where customers can return clothing for recycling into new products. This program helps to reduce the requirement for new materials and also supports closed-loop recycling.
The H&M: Conscious Collection promotes sustainable fashion making use of recycled materials to create new clothes. Their initiatives to recycle clothing allow customers to return their worn-out clothing that is later processed to be reused.
An econyl: Econyl recycles nylon from fishing nets as well as industrial waste plastic. Recycled nylon is utilized in a range of items such as swimwear and carpet tiles, which shows the many uses for regenerated materials.
The Stella McCartney: Stella McCartney has been a pioneer in the use of sustainable practices in high-end fashion. The brand utilizes recyclable and sustainable products in its creations. It sets the standard for other luxury brands that are aiming to adopt circularity.
Jeans with MUD: MUD Jeans utilizes the lease model for jeans, which allows customers to return their old jeans to be reused. This decreases waste and helps to encourage the ongoing recycling of denim fibers which means that fewer garments end up being thrown away in landfills.
The Greatest Ways to Create Repurposed Fashion Items
To effectively close the loop it is necessary to reconsider how we design our garments from the beginning. The design process should be geared towards recycling. materials that are readily separated from, used, and reused in production without significant loss in quality.
Below are a few good methods designers can employ to design products that are easy to recycle and more suitable for a circular economy:
The monomaterials: Design products with single-fiber content that makes recycling easier.
Decrease coatings and blends: Avoid non-removable coatings that make recycling more difficult.
Designing in modules: Design garments that are easily removed such as shoes with removable soles.
Employ materials that are certified recyclable: Adopting standards like the Global Recycle Standard (GRS) can ensure that materials are recyclable.
Tools for Digital Design: Use digital platforms to model the recyclability of various designs. These tools are able to predict recycling issues and help you make better decisions during your design process.
Open Labeling: Labels with clear indications of the content of fiber and its recyclability will help the consumer make more informed choices and help facilitate recycling at the end of life.
Standards and Certifications Associated with Material Recyclability
Standards and certifications are crucial in ensuring that clothing materials are sustainable and meet recyclability and sustainability goals. They are benchmarks used to assess the environmental impact of products and production methods and make it easier for companies to implement circular practices.
The Global Recycle Standard (GRS): Certifies products with recycled content.
The RCS (Recycled Claims Standard): Tracks recycled materials throughout the entire supply chain.
Certified Cradle-to-Cradle (TM): Evaluates products for circularity, safety, and responsible manufacturing.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Guidelines for the Circular Economy: An essential resource for businesses who are looking to adopt circular strategies.
Bluesign (r): It focuses on the sustainable production of textiles by regulating the use of chemicals, water, and energy usage throughout the manufacturing process making sure that items are safe for workers, the environment as well as consumers.
The ISO 14021:Provides guidance for self-declared environmental statements like declarations and labels that can be used to promote recycling and other sustainable initiatives which help to make claims uniform across all industries.
Final Thoughts
The path to a truly circular fashion industry is filled with obstacles, ranging from technological barriers to economic obstacles and shifts in consumer behavior. It is important to ask important questions like: Are we using the correct parameters when assessing the sustainability of materials? Is recycling the final purpose, or just a step in a larger strategy for waste reduction and reuse? How do brands ensure that they balance profit while demonstrating a determination to reduce environmental impact and avoid falling prey to greenwashing? Only by confronting these issues front-to-back can we hope to achieve significant progress in eradicating the cycle of fashion waste.
If you’re interested in using digital technology to manage your recycling and require guidance, speak with our group of experts in sustainability and traceability. We can assist you in streamlining the process and help you develop sustainable practices in conjunction.
