Clothing made from recycled plastic
The clothing industry has historically not been a major contributor to the global crisis caused by plastic. However, the industry has recently been presented with a unique proposition to be a major part of the worlds attempt to help eradicate or at least minimise the problems caused by plastic. The innovation of plastic based yarn and plastic based clothing provides us with a cost effective method to recycle the worlds plastic that would’ve otherwise gone to a landfill. The demand for sustainable clothing in not only daily wear but also in the luxury segment leaves almost every clothing brand in the world with an incentive to help the worlds efforts against plastic. According to a report, 86% of plastic water bottles used in US are dumped into the landfill. If even half of these were used to make clothing, they could majorly help the worlds efforts to mitigate the risks caused by plastic.
The process to make clothes from plastic is a simple one, aided and abetted by advanced technology. The process begins with plastic bottles being compressed and packed into bales before being shipped to a factory. On arriving to the factory, they are melted and reshaped. The reshaped bales are then crushed and forces through a nozzle into viscose yarn. This yarn is then used to weave and knit fabric which then proceeds to become the desired form of clothing. The type of fabric desired can also be changed by adding different blends of yarn such as polyester or cotton. The process also consumes less energy than the process used to make clothes in the conventional manner.
The fashion world has loved the latest innovations in recycled clothing due to its low cost and sustainable nature. The summer fashion week held at Miami Beach greatly emphasised the role of plastic in clothing.
It is great to see the positive reactions across the globe to the new version of clothing and we at A plus are proud of this change and hope that the other industries also find ways to aid our fight against plastic in their own form.