What exactly is recycled cotton, and how can old jeans be turned into new ones without losing quality?
We are using post-consumer recycled cotton fibres to create new denim fabrics and then pairs of jeans. It means that we transform post-consumer waste textile made from cotton via a mechanical recycling process. The expertise of shredding post-consumer textile waste combined with new spinning techniques allow us to work with shorter fibres while maintaining the same quality metrics and durability as virgin cotton fibre. We blend 20% post-consumer recycled cotton fibre with 80% virgin cotton fibres.
Is recycling denim different from recycling other clothes? What makes it easier or harder in countries like India?
The post-consumer waste textile that we are using are not only denim; we are looking at any waste made with cotton fibres. The output will always be yarn to be used for the denim industry and then producing fabrics. India is a country which is combining a high volume of post-consumer waste textiles based on cotton. India has developed for years now high expertise in mechanical recycling processes, providing high quality recycling yarn. Finally India is also a denim mill and garments producers for many brands in the US and Europe.
Why is using recycled denim better for the environment than using new cotton? Can recycling denim really help save water, cut down pollution, and use less energy?
There is plenty of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data available in the market to back up the claim of savings in water. 180 litres of fresh water are saved per kilogram of mechanical recycled cotton fibre versus conventional virgin cotton.
The mechanical recycling process does not require high energy consumption so the carbon footprint is extremely low compared to a chemical recycling process. The benefits are also on the chemical sides, avoiding the use of pesticides and fertilisers and hence there is no soil contamination. And finally no use of agricultural land for textile saves precious natural resources and soil biodiversity. Lastly, post-consumer waste management, by repurposing the textile waste, we transform a waste that potentially could have been burned or destroyed or ended up in landfill in poor countries.
Can the way denim is recycled be adapted to fit local systems in different countries like India?
Definitely, we try to build a closed loop system where we need to collect textile waste, process it with a mechanical recycling process and then engage with denim spinners and mills. India is a magical platform where all these expertise and industry partners are already in place at scale. India has the potential to become one of the biggest recycling hubs for the fashion industry by repurposing so much post-consumer waste textile to produce denims, tee shirts, woven shirts or non-denim fabrics.
What standards or guidelines are necessary to streamline reverse supply chains for denim recycling on a global scale?
Transforming the fashion industry from a linear model to a circular one will require many changes in processes and behaviours.
The efficiency of the reverse supply chain is one of the big challenges to be tackled. By formalising technical metrics between collectors, sorters, recyclers, spinners and denim mills, we facilitate and optimise the efficiency of the integration of the right feedstock waste to produce new denim fabrics aligned with high quality standards.
We are not compromising the quality or desirability of the pair of jeans when we use recycled cotton fibres.
How can the practices and frameworks established in denim recycling be applied to broader textile and fashion industry efforts towards circularity?
The principles and processes described before are applicable for any other product categories. Obviously, there are some technical aspects and specifics to be adapted to each product category targeted but we are convinced that the iconic pair of jeans and the denim industry in general could play a role leading example in terms of circularity.
What role does consumer participation play in the success of denim recycling efforts, and how can awareness and behaviour be effectively influenced?
The consumers also have their role to play in this transformation towards more circular business models. The buying power of the consumer is at stake and brands need to behave in a certain way to inform consumers in an ethical way. They need to inform consumers about which product are they buying in full transparency, making sure they choose wiser, focusing on quality and not quantity. They need to issue compelling messages around recycling fibres and circularity in general.
They need to make sure consumers are also returning goods in the appropriate take back system and contribute to the circular effort. Education of the consumers is strategic, we can’t change the world without changing mindsets and behaviours globally.
We are all responsible in this aspect and this is why we believe in the power of collaboration between all stakeholders, sharing resources, and working together on scalable solutions for the benefit of our planet and people.
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