Léon van Bakel’s Post

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 🌍♻️ Increasing minimum recycled content in plastics has driven continuous improvements and fostered a circular economy. These policies derisk the recycling industry, ensure future demand, stabilise prices for recycled materials, and incentivise investment in recycling infrastructure. They also reduce reliance on virgin materials, leading to significant energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The success of such policies highlights their effectiveness in promoting sustainability and achieving positive environmental outcomes. 𝟏. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 Recycled content targets in textiles could be a crucial solution. By mandating the use of recycled content, governments can create guaranteed demand for recycled textiles. This demand certainty incentivises investors and provides a positive business case for recyclers, encouraging investment in recycling infrastructure and expansion of operations. 🌱👗 𝟐. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 Recycled content targets in textiles would decouple the price of recycled materials from virgin materials, stabilising prices and making recycled textiles more competitive. This would decrease the price premium, making it financially feasible for brands to incorporate more recycled content. Guaranteeing demand and securing investment can accelerate the development of commercial recycling facilities, achieving higher levels of scale, further reducing the price premium of recycled textiles. 🏭💡 𝟑. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 Recycled content targets can drive innovation within the textile industry. With a clear mandate, brands and manufacturers would be motivated to develop new technologies and processes to incorporate recycled materials more efficiently, leading to breakthroughs in textile recycling and enhancing overall industry sustainability. Moreover, recycled content targets align with the broader goals of a circular economy, where materials are kept in use for as long as possible. 🌍🔄 Recycled content targets offer a promising pathway to overcome key challenges in scaling and adopting recycled materials in the textile industry. By creating guaranteed demand and stabilising prices, these targets can incentivise investment, drive innovation, and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and circular textile economy. Let's continue the conversation! How can the textile industry further leverage recycled content targets to boost sustainability? What additional measures are needed to support this transition? Share your thoughts and insights! 🌿🧵 #SustainableFashion #CircularEconomy #Recycling #Innovation #TextileIndustry #PlasticRecycling #FashionIndustry #GreenInvestment

The problem with PET bottles   In an article in the early 2024 NRC editor Liza van Lonkhuyzen takes a close look at the so-called sustainability of recycled clothes. What turns out: most clothes labelled recycled are not made from old clothes, but from returned PET bottles.   Good right? No. First, there is too little investment in something much more complicated, but also much more rewarding: recycling old clothes into new clothes. We call this "post consumer" - it involves used textiles. Garment manufacturers don't do that, but get the PET bottles from another circular system because it's so easy and cheap. Secondly, it seems sustainable, but they forget that you can endlessly make new ones from old PET bottles, while the PET bottles that end up in textiles never make it back into recycled bottles.   Besides the above issues, plastic in general is not bio-degradable and plastic in garments release micro plastics during use. To recycle old textiles the plastic content needs to be separated from the natural fibers. This makes the sorting process of post consumer/used textiles very in-efficient, complex and therefore costly. For this reason at nxtile we started our circular journey with pre consumer waste. This industrial waste creates the perfect entry point to save land, water and avoid CO2 emissions. Want to know more facts about the pro’s and cons on post and pre consumer waste, stay tuned for our next BLOG. #recycledcotton #sustainable #circular #petbottles

Why not just use recycled polyester? 💡 - Some may ask. This past Monday, on Earth Day, we reflected on the significant threat plastic poses to our environment. With this year's global theme being "Planet vs. Plastic," the urgency to address this issue has never been clearer. 📣 Following up on our recent update about reducing our polyester usage and incorporating organic cotton and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose where possible, let's discuss why we're not simply switching to recycled polyester. 🧶 Some may wonder why we don't just opt for recycled polyester, a material commonly used by clothing manufacturers. 👖 Recycled polyester is often derived from melted plastic bottles. A plastic bottle can be recycled five to six times, whereas a T-shirt made of recycled polyester is difficult to recycle back into textile fiber. ↻ This is because polyester is often used in combination with other materials such as elastane, and the industry still lacks technology that can efficiently separate these different materials on a large scale. ✂🧵 Therefore, our stance is that the plastic from recycled bottles, used to produce recycled polyester, serves a better purpose by remaining as plastic bottles. ✋

Shocking to see that 98% of all recycled polyester on the market is made from plastic bottles: old bottles can be recycled into new ones multiple times, once they’ve been transformed into fabric, their end destination is likely landfill. Although many brands have made commitments to shift to recycled polyester, this is not solving the waste problem and it certainly not more than”sustainable”. Meanwhile emerging textile-to-textile recycling technologies struggle to scale due to the few factors such buy-in from mills and brands, easier and cheaper recycled bottle polyester, greenwashing… #synthetics #recycling #textiles #recycledpolyester #greenwashing #textilewaste

📄 The Journey of Recycled Polyester Sharing this article about the journey of recycled polyester, from bottle to fabric. Learn about the sustainable processes that turn waste into valuable textiles. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dsT_d5SB #Sustainability #RecycledPolyester #EcoFriendly #TextileInnovation

🌍 Global Impact of Shipping Bags: A Rethink of Plastic Use in Fashion As the fashion industry evolves, we need to address the widespread use of plastic bags for shipping garments. While these lightweight and cost-effective bags are essential for protecting clothing during transport, they also contribute significantly to the alarming global landfill waste crisis. Around the world, over 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year, with a large portion linked to the fashion sector. Unfortunately, most of these bags are designed for single use and end up in landfills, oceans, or our natural environments. This poses serious threats to marine life and ecosystems. In fact, only 9% of plastic produced globally is recycled, underscoring the urgent need for change. Fortunately, there are innovative alternatives to conventional plastic bags that can help fashion brands make a positive impact. Options such as starch-based bioplastics and PLA (polylactic acid) bags, made from fermented plant materials, offer biodegradable solutions that break down faster than traditional plastics. Additionally, mushroom packaging utilizes mycelium and agricultural waste for a completely compostable option. Recycled paper-based bags, hemp bags, and even seaweed-based packaging are also excellent choices that not only reduce environmental impact but align with the growing demand for sustainable practices. While it's true that brands may need to pay more for these alternative packaging solutions, the investment is worthwhile as it directly contributes to preserving our environment and protecting nature for future generations. By embracing these materials, the fashion industry can significantly reduce its reliance on single-use plastics and contribute to a healthier planet. #Sustainability #FashionIndustry #EcoFriendly #PlasticWaste #Innovation #CircularEconomy

This Eco-hero gave a second life to plastic bottles Approximately 480 billion plastic water bottles are produced annually. But most of them are disposed in landfills. This affects our environment. So we should protect the environment. We can save the nature by recycling the bottles if we want. Most of the recycled polyester we commonly use comes from plastic water and soda bottles. As unbelievable as it sounds, it’s true. Hard drinking straws can be turned into soft fabrics and are widely used in the clothing industry. Globally, the recycling of plastic bottles for clothes is a growing trend, as conscious consumers in the western markets are demanding more garment items be made from recycled yarn in order to save the earth from plastic pollution.

I’m happy to share an article that Komal Fatima and I recently wrote, challenging the prevailing narrative around recycling PET bottles into textiles. Yes, plastics pose significant environmental challenges, but it's important to recognize that some plastics have better potential for sustainability than others. The key is to make informed choices and improve not just the materials we use but the entire value chain they’re part of. ▶ Circular vs. Linear Pathways: Our article delves into the often-overlooked reality that diverting PET bottles into textiles, while seemingly sustainable, often leads to a linear wasteful path. PET bottles, if recycled within a closed-loop system, can significantly reduce our reliance on virgin materials. Some Current Challenges: ▶ The inefficiencies in the current PET bottle-to-bottle recycling processes, such as contamination and degradation, need to be addressed. ▶ With only a small fraction of recycled PET bottles being reused as new bottles, the bulk is diverted to textiles, which are harder to recycle and often end up in landfills. The Way Forward: ▶ By addressing the entire value chain—from production and design to collection, recycling, and disposal—we can create a more sustainable system for managing PET bottles and other plastics. This holistic approach maximizes the potential for true circularity, reduces environmental impact, and moves us towards a more sustainable future. I’d love for you to check out our full article and dive deeper into this important issue.  Read the full article here, https://lnkd.in/gBQJw4EC, and let us know what you think; we'd love to hear your thoughts. KIAM Consultancy #sustainability #recycling #closedloop #systemsthinking #circularity #communications #bottletobottlerecycling #PET

Recycled plastic bottles turned into a t-shirt? It sounds impossible, but it’s not! Recently, a client asked for recycled material for their company t-shirts. This material is called recycled yarn, and the process used to create it is called RPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate). Here's how it works: Plastic bottles are collected and thoroughly washed to remove any labels, glue, and dirt. These clean bottles are then chopped into small pieces called flakes. The flakes are melted down into a liquid form and turned into resin pellets. These pellets are heated and pushed through tiny holes to create thin strands of fiber. They are then spun into yarn, which can be woven or knitted into fabric. Finally, this fabric is cut and sewn into various products, including t-shirts. To further our commitment to sustainability, we’ve also introduced biodegradable bags instead of traditional plastic ones. These bags break down naturally, reducing the environmental impact even more. So now that you know how it's made, would you opt for recycled yarn? It's comfortable, durable, and environmentally friendly. By choosing products made from recycled materials, we can support sustainability and make a difference.

Have you ever tried clothes that are made from recycled plastic? (I bet you won’t) Most people are worried that plastic can release toxic chemicals and microplastic. And if we wear them, it would damage our health and the environment. But in reality, it is safe to wear… Recycling ensures hygiene, and the garment is essentially a new product. So, recycled polyester also known as rPET, is obtained by melting down existing plastic and re-spinning it into new polyester fiber. As an example, five water bottles yield enough fiber for one T-shirt. You see, The process of creating clothes from recycled plastic is of high quality. Here are the step by step from plastic to clothes - + We collect 6-8 large post-consumer PET plastic bottles (for a recycled t-shirt) + The bottles are clinically washed, Monica from Friends style  + The plastic bottles are then shredded into flakes  + Next, the plastic flakes are melted into tiny pellets  + The pellets are extruded and spun into soft yarn + Lastly, the yarn is woven into modern, sustainable clothing This process uses 50% less energy and 20% less water than virgin polyester. And this is the best way towards an eco-friendly environment and sustainability. Thanks to those businesses and individuals who are effectively contributing towards a pollution-free world. If you are wearing recycled clothes, feel proud knowing you're also a part of responsible recycling. Share with your friend who wears a recycled shirt. #Recycling #RecyclingAustralia #Ecofriendly #Environment #PlasticBottles