Is Recycled Polyester Good for the Environment?

Far and wide, fashion companies are making the move towards more sustainable materials. I shared about a few in earlier posts. However, sustainability is more than just a trend. It is an enduring commitment to bettering the lives of people, and the planet. For many, this promise started with green hang tags, which then fed the obsession with ‘recycled polyester.’ What’s the deal with it anyways, and is recycled polyester really sustainable?

Full disclosure, my outfit (leopard top // leggings) is partially made with recycled polyester. I did not purchase them solely for the fabric. In fact, I was looking to restock in some comfy basics. But since my outfit has a story to tell, I’m excited to share about the science behind this material.

THE BENEFITS OF RECYCLED POLYESTER

1. It takes less energy to produce.

Recycled fibers can be sourced in two ways: from pre-consumer waste, or post-consumer waste. (See diagram below on the differences)

You may already be familiar with these terms in regular recycling. In textiles, recycling pre or post-consumer waste can save additional steps in dyeing and chemical processing. As a result, producing clothes with recycled fibers can reduce energy and water usage.

2. It decreases our reliance on petroleum.

Petroleum makes up most of our polyester. Though naturally occurring, it is a finite and non-renewable resource. Not to mention, oil is one of the hardest resources to trace in our supply chain! This complexity makes it hard to control for the safety and ethics behind our products. Recycling existing materials is one way to limit our dependence.

3. It (temporarily) diverts landfill waste.

I am surprised that fashion brands tout this point the most, which is misleading. If you think about it, we dispose of all items at some point. With recycling, we only delay that process. So while there are benefits to using recycled polyester, it is never a long-term solution to our major waste problem. This final point leads to a great segue…

THE DISADVANTAGES TO RECYCLED POLYESTER

1. Recycling decreases material quality.

Recyling is not an indefinite process because materials break down. With each recovery cycle, polyester decreases in quality and quantity (yield). With that, physical properties change too. For example, recycling reduces the melt viscosity (fluid ‘thickness’) and tenacity (strength) of polyester. In contract to virgin polyester, these properties are much lower.

For clothes, these properties may not matter so much. However, in high strength applications, the material wouldn’t hold up.

2. It is impossible to recycle blended materials.

Unless the fabric is 100% polyester, we can’t really recycle the material again. There are contamination risks, and depending on how the yarn or fabric was made, the process to separate the fibers is very difficult.

2. It does not address the issue of overproduction.

This point carries the most weight for me. The biggest issue we face in fashion is overproduction. When brands do not market their products honestly and responsibly, recycled fiber claims are just another way to get people to buy more. They just package it nicer with misleading claims.

So is recycled polyester sustainable? I would say this. For fashion brands that have started including this material in their products, it’s a good start, but the hard work is far from over! For one thing, there are many areas that using recycled materials does not solve:

• Our global waste issue with plastics in general
• Overproduction & Overconsumption
• Microplastics!

OUR CALL TO ACTION: SHOPPING RESPONSIBLY

To be honest, I don’t own a capsule wardrobe, nor any pieces from Everlane. I don’t wear all-natural materials, and own just as much polyester as my neighbor doesn’t give a hoot about textiles! So where do I start?

I’m not here to call people out on the clothes they wear, or to overhaul their closets. However, we can take what we know and gradually apply it to our clothing choices. Over the years, I have started taking better care of my polyester blouses, buying better quality pieces that last, and even reselling a few that don’t fit. There are many other creative practices we can adapt. Reading more on the topic is a great way to engage too.

I will share a free resources here for you to read on your own leisure. And if you are into scientific literature, there’s a few here too. These articles helped me to gain a more balanced view on recycled fibers.

1. Cotton Works – Recycled Cotton: https://www.cottonworks.com/topics/sustainability/cotton-sustainability/recycled-cotton/#
2. Patil, Pravinkumar & Deshpande, R & Indi, Yashovardhan & Hattimare, Rishabh. (2018). A Green Approach: Comparative Study of Virgin and Recycled Polyester for Textile Application.
3. Zink, Trevor & Geyer, Roland. (2018). Material Recycling and the Myth of Landfill Diversion. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 10.1111/jiec.12808.
4. CFDA Materials Index – Polyester: https://cfda.com/resources/materials/detail/polyester
5. “How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled” from Laura Sullivan – NPR.
6. Plastic Wars – PBS Frontline: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/plastic-wars/