SYDNEY: As we speak, we make extra garments than ever. And the driving force for that is primarily financial, reasonably than human want. During the last decade, the time period “round financial system” has entered the lexicon of the style business, the place supplies are made to be reused and recycled by design.
Nevertheless, we’ve not seen the identical degree of recycling in trend as in different areas, resembling plastic recycling, for instance. And that is primarily as a result of recycling garments to garments is rather more tough.
Using recycled polyester and cotton by manufacturers resembling H&M and Cotton On are key points of those corporations’ sustainability initiatives, however the supply of those recycled fibers is commonly not clothes. Recycled polyester tends to come back from plastic bottles, and recycled cotton is normally created from manufacturing waste.
The actual fact is that the majority clothes is solely not designed to be recycled. Even when it’s, the style business lacks the type of infrastructure wanted to actually embrace a round financial system mannequin.
RECYCLING CLOTHING IS VERY DIFFICULT
Recycling garments is just not like recycling paper, glass or metallic. Garments are infinitely variable and unpredictable. Subsequently, they don’t seem to be preferrred for recycling applied sciences, which require steady and constant supply supplies.
Even a seemingly easy garment can comprise a number of supplies, with fiber blends resembling cotton/polyester and cotton/elastane being widespread.
Totally different fibers have totally different recycling capabilities. Pure fibers, resembling wool or cotton, will be mechanically recycled. On this course of, the material is shredded and re-spun, from which a brand new cloth will be woven or woven.
