When cupboard rhymes with dumping ground
A short while ago, I threw yet another bag of old clothes into one of these containers to keep them out of the bin and in the hope that someone might find some use for them. I'm relieved to be able to give them a second life.
The day before, before taking these bags to the containers, I had read that the United States produces millions of tonnes of textile waste every year. In 2015, this figure was close to 16 million. Only a third of this clothing goes back into the cycle, the rest is discarded. Ha, the Yanks, I swear! They want to rule the world, but they don't know what to do with their old jeans.
I had a clear conscience until I read Vanessa's review. In Switzerland too, over 30% of used clothes end up in the bin. So my jumpers too? Yes and no.
How do we end up with these old clothes?
So how do you prevent the high-quality cotton shirt from becoming a cleaning cloth or ending up in the bin altogether? Many companies, for example those in the sports sector, are looking for solutions to this problem. We can only talk about a real recycling circuit if we manage to recycle used products.
In order to turn them into raw material, they first have to be collected. Whether in Germany or Switzerland, there has been a system of used clothing containers and collection points for quite some time. Every year, around a million tonnes of used clothes are collected and then processed.
Nearly 50% is destined for the second-hand market, and 40% is used as low-grade cleaning cloths. The rest is incinerated or scrapped. Used clothing is nevertheless collected and does not overload landfill sites or incinerators, as is the case in the United States. But as they are still not integrated into the production cycle, we can't really talk about true recycling.
Vaude creates the first recycling system
Some companies have therefore started to collect their own products; this is the case for Patagonia and Vaude. Vaude, a German mountain gear manufacturer, introduced the "Vaude Ecolog Recycling Network" in 1994, the industry's first recycling system for pure polyester products, with return and recycling. Vaude Ecolog products have been technically designed to re-enter the polyester fibre cycle without any problems.
The problem is that Vaude products are not recyclable. The problem was that the products lasted a long time. According to Vaude, too few used products had been returned for the system to work. That's why Ecolog was reinstated. Other brands have had similar experiences in the meantime.
Pyua: cooperation with textile recycling companies
Pyua also saw the futility of its own collection. The company therefore entered into a cooperation agreement with textile recyclers aimed at sorting Pyua products prior to recycling. The collection, which is not a commercial operation, takes place across Europe via well-known second-hand clothing containers. All Pyua products that end up in a container are sorted and sent to competent recycling companies.
"To ensure that recycling works smoothly, we either try to plan the production of an item by material type as much as possible - i.e. outer fabric, membrane, lining and outer shell - or we try to plan the production of an item by material type, i.e. outer fabric, membrane, lining and outer shell.membrane, lining and polyester backing - or to make it easier to separate the different materials during the recycling process," explains Pyua's Julian Stauber. The result is that Pyua's products are 100% recyclable.
Nike: a shoe subscription
How can we ensure that the customer returns the used product to the manufacturer at the end of its life cycle? Thanks to the subscription, of course! Nike launched the Nike Adventure Club in August, a programme aimed at parents with children aged between two and ten. They order shoes at set intervals and pay the corresponding monthly fee. The idea was born out of the realisation that buying shoes is a time-consuming and recurring activity, particularly when children's feet are constantly growing.
Nike is looking to show its sustainability side: when the shoes are too small, all you have to do is return them free of charge. These are then donated or turned into tracks and playgrounds as part of the Nike Grind programme. Although this is not yet recycling in the strict sense of the word, there is nonetheless the idea of reducing the flow of goods.
Adidas: first recyclable running shoe
Until now, it was virtually impossible to recycle shoes. They contain too many materials that are difficult to separate. Adidas has just presented its project for fully recyclable running shoes, the Futurecraft Loop. Made from 100% recyclable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), they contain no adhesives. When they reach the end of their life, they must be returned to Adidas where they are washed, ground into granules and then melted into a material that can be used to create new footwear components, all without generating any waste.
Waiting to be marketed, these Adidas shoes are being tested by 200 creative people around the world. To do this, they have to wear them, send them back and give their feedback before the second generation of shoes is produced. And how should the shoes be returned to Adidas in future? "We won't be able to create a recycling system on our own; we need each other to do that," explains Adidas. In future, I will send my used shoes back to the manufacturer.
Sympatex: recycling mixed fabrics
"From an economic point of view, sending raw materials to the incinerator is simply ridiculous," says Dr Rüdiger Fox, CEO of Sympatex Technologies. He has just announced his goal of closing the ecological cycle for functional clothing in all areas within the next five years. By 2020, the goal of Sympatex is to gradually design the entire laminate portfolio sustainably. Within five years, at least half of the raw material for functional laminates should come from recycled materials, by 2030, all of it.
How is this possible? Thanks to co-investment in UK company Worn Again Technologies, also backed by H&M and Asics. The company has developed a process for separating and recycling blends of polyester and renewable fibres. However, Sympatex does not want to take on the task of collecting old clothes. "Collecting the product is an option, but it's inefficient, so it's not a viable industrial solution," explains Rüdiger Fox. He is relying on existing textile recycling companies, who must however develop new processes and more intelligent separation systems.
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Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
