Introduction
Fashion industry in recent years has also moved towards sustainability as many brands now say they are eco-friendly. One of the most hyped alternatives to pure polyester is recycled polyester (rPET), derived from post-consumer plastic waste like bottles and transformed into new textiles. Recycled polyester promises to be more sustainable, as awareness increases of plastic waste and textile waste. But in an era where we’re all demanding sustainable fashion more and more, it’s time to ask hard questions about the real environmental merits of recycled polyester.
It saves plastics, yes, but recycled polyester’s environmental impact is anything but straightforward. In this article, we will see if recycled polyester is an eco-friendly solution by focusing on its environmental merits, drawbacks and life cycle of rPET garments. Analysing the manufacturing process, its use of resources and its contribution to pollution, this article will help you understand if recycled polyester is a sustainable alternative or another greenwashing sleight of hand for fashion designers.
1.What is Recycled Polyester?
- Definition and Production Process
Recycled polyester (rPET) is a textile fabric created from the used bottles of plastics from post-consumer use or industrial waste, which are decomposed into fibres that can be woven into clothes and other textiles. The rPET production starts with the recycling of empty plastic bottles like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, and is then treated with cleaning solutions to eliminate contaminants. The bottles are crushed to little bits, then melted and spun into fibres that can be sewn into clothes. This closed-loop process means polyester is re-usable, which eliminates the requirement for virgins.
rPET process might seem to be the answer to the plastic waste issue, but not everyone understands that the recycling process requires energy and resources. When plastic bottles are converted into fibre, chemicals, heat and machines play environmental roles, particularly if the energy involved is non-renewable.
- Recycled Polyester vs. Virgin Polyester.
Virgin polyester is made from petroleum raw materials (in this case, crude oil) that are refined into polyester fibers. It takes energy, in the extraction of oil and in the generation of polyester fibres. Virgin polyester is also heavily reliant on fossil fuels (a non-renewable resource) so its environmental impact is substantial.
Recycling polyester, however, utilises less virgin polyester (recycling the plastic waste), which conserves petroleum. Production of rPET often uses less energy and water than virgin polyester, and therefore is a cleaner resource-wise choice. But the real cut in resource consumption depends on other things, such as the recycling rate and the type of energy source.
Recycled polyester generally does not have as high a carbon footprint as virgin polyester. In keeping plastic from landfills and consuming less virgin petroleum, rPET is a more sustainable solution. But that advantage is often overridden by other environmental issues, on which we will learn more in the following sections.
2. Why Recycled Polyester Is Green.
- Reduction in Plastic Waste
This can be one of the biggest benefits of recycled polyester in terms of plastic consumption. Given millions of plastic bottles we throw away each day, recycling plastic bottles into textile fibres is one way to save plastic from the trash and oceans. Turning plastic bottles into polyester cloth is one way to help reduce the environmental damage from plastic pollution, especially in marine areas where plastic waste is a huge problem for wildlife.
Recycling polyester has been adopted as an answer to the global plastic epidemic and its eradication of plastic waste is one reason why its credentials are green. Indeed, a ton of rPET saves approximately 6,000 plastic bottles from the trash bin or the flames. Designers who wear rPET in their clothing describe themselves as solving the plastics problem, and in many cases the recycled fabric is pushed as a greener option.
Yet, although plastic waste divertion is a plus of rPET, the plastic waste that fashion is addressing is comparatively low compared to the scale of global plastic pollution. Recycled polyester may keep plastic bottles out of landfill, but that is not the end of the plastic solution, and more fundamental reforms in waste treatment, consumption, and industrial production will be needed.
- Energy and Resource Efficiency
Production of recycled polyester is more energy and resource efficient compared to virgin polyester production. rPET is made with recycled plastic bottles as raw material, so new petroleum products aren’t needed. This not only saves fossil fuels but also reduces the energy used to produce and refine oil. Recycled polyester uses 60-70% less energy to manufacture than virgin polyester, industry estimates say.
Not only does this reduce energy consumption, but textiles produced from recycled materials eliminate the need for new natural resources (for example, petroleum). This is all the more vital as environmental damage resulting from fossil fuel extraction and the push to use cleaner forms of energy are being accelerated. By de-nourishing virgin oil, rPET is a first step towards a circular economy, in which products are not disposed of after each use.
But the energy involved in recycling is an obstacle still. The energy to manufacture rPET is smaller than the virgin polyester but it is still a very energy-intensive process. And the recycling energy is also highly dependent on the energy mix of the area where recycling is carried out. If energy was produced from fossil fuels, the energy savings may be lost.
- Lower Carbon Emissions
The big benefit of recycled polyester is that recycled polyester is much lighter on our planet than virgin polyester. To create rPET, the amount of energy and resources required to create virgin polyester are less than that of virgin polyester, leaving us with less greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon footprint of recycling polyester is up to 30 per cent lower than that of virgin polyester, according to some studies. This emissions reduction will be especially relevant for fashion industry, one of the most significant comuters of global carbon emissions.
The fashion industry could save on virgin petroleum and reduce its carbon footprint by using plastic waste. This can make a big difference in the reduction of world greenhouse gas emissions if the industry ramps up its rPET usage. But we should remember that, while rPET does reduce carbon emissions, the whole environment of textile production (and its interactions with other sources of water, chemicals and transport) still needs to be considered.
And even if the carbon footprint could be reduced, the environmental footprint of rPET is not minuscule. Even recycling and subsequent use of polyester fibres still, as we will see in the next section, causes pollution and depletion.
3. Occupational and Environmental Requirements of Recycled Polyester.
- Recycling Process Energy Consumption
Recycling polyester will save virgin materials, but the recycling process is energy-demanding. Cleaning, melting and blowing the plastic bottles into fibre takes energy to transform them. This energy demand can be especially high without clean energy.
Besides, most of the plastics that are recycled are disposed of with chemicals to get rid of the pollutants and dyes present in them. These chemicals can be bad for the environment if they’re not properly treated. Recycling plants often are located in areas where environmental regulations are sparse, and so there is concern over the wider ecological impacts of recycling.
Although the energy consumption for rPET production is lower than that of virgin polyester, the energy spent on recycling is still a high environmental footprint. For rPET to really be environmentally sustainable, recycling needs to be more efficient and clean energy must come first.
- Microplastic Pollution
There’s a big problem with both virgin and recycled polyester: microplastic pollution. Polyester fibres break down into microplastics as they wash, and these enter wastewater, eventually ending up in rivers, lakes and oceans. These microplastics are tiny enough to go through sewage treatment works, which don’t really filter them out.
And reused polyester is no exception. The fiber is recycled, but still acts like normal polyester in the microfiber shedding. It’s the environment that is impacted by microplastic contamination, as tiny fibres can end up in waterways, killing marine life and reaching the food chain.
The microplastic problem brings to light the limits of virgin or recycled polyester as an eco-friendly fabric. Recycling plastic scraps into clothing reduces plastic landfill, but that does nothing about microplastics, a big ecological problem.
- Recyclable Characteristics of Recycled Polyester.
The other disadvantage of recycled polyester is that it isn’t recyclable. After polyester fibres have been recycled, they aren’t always recyclable again. This is to say that while rPET cuts back on the need for virgin polyester, the plastic is not actually in a closed-loop recycling process. Polyester clothes made from rPET are not recycled; they end up in landfills where they can take hundreds of years to decompose.
The virgin or recycled polyester fibres are also ineligible for recycling and therefore recycle polyester as a sustainable product is not an option. With textile consumption rising, the non-recyclability of polyester fibres remains over and over a big obstacle in the reduction of total textile waste.
4.Other Facts to Think About in the Recycled Polyester Confusion
There are more issues about the environmental impact of recycled polyester than just the clear analogy to virgin polyester. Even if recycled polyester (rPET) helps to curb some environmental costs – plastics and fossil fuel consumption – it’s in no way zero-sum when it comes to the world of nature. Among them are the certifications that make it sustainable, the brand transparency and the constant demand for new recycling techniques and materials. In this part, we will discuss these points in more detail to get a clearer picture of the place of recycled polyester in the future of sustainable fashion.
- Certifications and Standards: What Is Their Purpose?
The more recycled polyester is incorporated into fashion, the more we have to convince the fashion community that the claims are truly sustainable. Certificates and third-party verification also help to ensure that the recycled polyester sold is actually eco-friendly, since not all recycling is the same.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
Among the most recognized of all certified recycled products is the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). It rechecks that the content was produced from post-consumer or post-industrial waste and that manufacturing conformed to stringent environmental and social standards. They include in-depth analysis of water and energy use, chemical handling and disposal of waste products in the manufacturing process. This GRS certification also offers supply chain traceability so customers know precisely where their product was made from recycled polyester.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Another important textile certification is OEKO-TEX Standard 100, but it considers textiles not so much recyclable as their chemical and safety content. The products with the OEKO-TEX label are screened for harmful substances, so the fabrics are chemical free and human safe. Even though OEKO-TEX doesn’t directly check for recycled content, it is still relevant in the recycled polyester controversy since it gives consumers confidence that the recycled content is safe.
Importance of Third-Party Verification
The value of third party verification cannot be overemphasised. If there are no real certifications, then firms can lie about the sustainability of their products and greenwash them. Suppose a company asserts that its products are “green” or made of “recycled materials”, for instance, without actually demonstrating or certifying. Third party verification is also very important to bring transparency so that brands’ sustainability assertions are not disingenuous.
These certifications provide consumers with concrete evidence that the brand is trying to do their bit for the planet. But remember that, although there’s a certain certainty provided by certificates such as GRS or OEKO-TEX, the sustainability of recycled polyester will also depend on other factors including the energy source used in recycling and whether the brand is generally concerned with environmental responsibility.
- Transparency and Brand Practices
Recycled polyester is more prevalent in the fashion industry, but not all brands are so open about their sourcing, manufacturing and recycling. Insist on transparency to get a real handle on the true environmental impacts of recycled polyester because some brands point to recycled fiber but are silent about how they source or how their production runs are sustainable.
Full Supply Chain Transparency is What’s In Store For You.
For consumers to be made of a true decision making, brands should be able to make it transparent and transparent as to where their products come from, how they are manufactured, and how they are recycled. That includes reporting whether the recycled polyester is from post-consumer plastic bottles or post-industrial solid waste, how energy-efficient the recycling process was, and whether harmful chemicals were employed in the manufacturing process. Full transparency also demands brands being transparent about how their products are managed after their lifespan — are they recyclable, and are they part of circularity programs?
A handful of brands are doing just that, providing detailed information about their products’ environmental footprints — lifecycle analyses (LCAs) — as well as data on emissions, waste and energy use. These reports build trust and provide consumers with the information they require to decide whether or not a product is actually sustainable. But not all brands are as open about their supply chains as they might, or even attempt to minimise their negative environmental impacts. For instance, a company could declare that its garments are made from recycled polyester but leave it blank about where the fabric is extracted from or how the production process is environmentally friendly.
The Role of Third-Party Auditors
This can be a serious problem that third party auditors can help to address, to ensure transparency standards of brands. Independent audits of a brand’s environmental management and supply chain can help pinpoint areas of concern and verify if the brand is meeting its sustainability targets. Third-party audits add that extra layer of responsibility, prevent greenwashing and help people trust the brands’ sustainability claims.
While consumers have to also be on their guard and wary of the information being provided by brands. Even a sustainability label or slogan is not the same thing as saying that the product is green. You should look for the full life cycle of the product and the brand’s general environmental commitments which can be independently verified.
- Other than Recycled Polyester, Other Products.
Recycling polyester can have its environmental upsides, but it’s not a panacea to the larger environmental challenges of textile manufacture. However, there are still alternatives, and green textile technologies, that might diminish fashion’s environmental footprint further.
- Natural Fiber Alternatives
The best replacement for virgin and recycled polyester is natural fibers. Organic cotton, hemp and Tencel are less water, chemical and biodegradable than their competitor materials which are a great alternative for sustainable fashion.
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton, in contrast, doesn’t need to be fertilised with chemicals and pesticides that pollute our environment as conventional cotton is often required to grow. Organic cotton is grown using healthy soils, crop rotation and less water to preserve ecosystems and reduce pollution. But organic cotton still needs a great deal of water, and the land to plant it can be an issue.
Hemp
Hemp is a very renewable natural fiber, it doesn’t even require a lot of water and pesticides. Hemp also has a fast growing cycle, and therefore can be more productive than cotton in land and resources. Hemp textiles are resistant, biodegradable and can be recycled. And for all its environmental benefits, hemp is less fashionable than cotton – although the green alternative is gaining traction.
Tencel
Tencel, or lyocell, is a renewable fibre of wood pulp that usually comes from sustainable forests. It is produced closed loop — virtually all chemicals are reused — and so is more sustainable than other artificial fibres. Tencel is biodegradable, breathable and comfortable which is great for environmentally conscious consumers.
These natural fibres have a lot of green benefits over synthetic fibres such as polyester. But they aren’t without their problems, such as water (for cotton) and land-use conflict with food crops. However, if grown sustainably, these fibres are attractive alternatives for fashion.
- Innovations in Sustainable Polyester
Not only with natural fibres, but also a new generation of environmentally sustainable polyesters is being worked on. Such innovations will also reduce the environmental footprint of polyester fabrics by solving problems such as biodegradability and dependency on fossil fuels.
Bio-Based Polyester
Bio polyester – which is not made of petroleum, but from renewable plants – is a newer substitute for polyester. This kind of polyester comes from a source like sugarcane, corn or castor beans. Polyester made from biomaterials uses less fossil fuel and can be more sustainable, if the raw materials are ethically procured. But the land and water footprints of cultivation for bio-based polyester are still issues.
Biodegradable Polyester
Biodegradable polyester is another solution to the problems that traditional polyester creates on the planet. Instead of conventional polyester, which sits in landfills for hundreds of years to break down, biodegradable polyester is engineered to break down faster under environmental conditions. The technology would be helpful to cut down on textile waste and eliminate polyester pollution. But wide-spread biodegradable polyester depends on further technological development and the scalability of the production system.
Bio-based, as well biodegradable polyester, is still at an early stage and isn’t yet ubiquitous in fashion. But as more people look to sustainability, these developments can offer greener alternatives to polyester.
6. The Future of Recycled Polyester?
Recycling polyester is probably going to stay a major player in the future of sustainable fabrics as fashion shifts. But it’s going to need to keep innovating, develop more recycling techniques, and make the industry more transparent.
- Industry Trends and Innovation
Fashion is slowly going in the direction of sustainability, with a lot of companies including recycled material such as rPET in their collections. But the cumulative impact of these measures is still limited by the microplastics pollution, the carbon footprint of recycling and the lack of a closed loop recycling process. From now on, we will need more efficient recycling processes and better technologies to trap and eliminate microfiber shedding in order to minimise the impact of polyester textiles on the environment.
How Circular Economy Simulations Play a Critical Function.
A promising answer to the problem of recycled polyester is circular economy models. Circular fashion encourages us to consume less and make things that can be remade, recycled or reused many times over. This model could combat the non-recyclable polyester by building systems where textiles can be recycled over and over again, decreasing the need for virgin fibres and increasing the lifespan of clothes.
- Consumer Responsibility
Though the fashion industry is vital to the sustainability movement, consumers too are. By being a customer advocate for brands that are more transparent, sustainable and innovative, they can also make consumers want greener products. Other things that people can do to help the environment are to take care of their clothes, wash them less often, and use microfiber filters to eliminate the release of microplastics when you wash them.
Yashvi Jain, a writer by day and reader by night, is an accomplished content writer and published author of ‘Mind Under Construction. Yashvi possesses extensive knowledge of fabrics, sustainability, and literature. On occasions, you would catch her scripting for her YouTube channel, engrossed in fiction, or ardently dedicating her time to research and storytelling.