Recycled Nylon: Is It A Sustainable Fabric?

Article published at: Jun 23, 2021
Recycled Nylon: Is It A Sustainable Fabric?
All The Journal Article comments count: 1

Introducing: Recycled Nylon

Nylon was the first fabric produced entirely in a laboratory. As a synthetic material derived from petroleum, Nylon first became available during World War II for use with both military products and silk replacement for items like stockings. Today you're more likely to find it in activewear, swimwear, and other technical performance garments because of its durability and useful stretch properties.  

Nylon is made from oil, a non-renewable resource, in an energy-intensive process. It sheds microplastic fibers that end up in our waterways and oceans every time it's washed. While having Recycled Nylon as a fabric in our collection will not fix the microplastic issue, it does repurpose materials that would end up in landfills and continues to work the fabric through the circular economy. 

Recycled Nylon is usually made from pre-consumer fabric waste, though it may also come from post-consumer materials like industrial fishing nets. There are several "chain of custody" standards that track recycled Nylon through the supply chain, including the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS), Global Recycled Standard (GRS), and SCS Recycled Content.

 

But, What Else Is Sustainable About Recycled Nylon?

Nylon is one of the essential plastic materials we use in our products, especially when durability is needed. Unfortunately, Nylon comes from petroleum which creates a discharge of CO2 during production and requires more than 30 years to decompose.

  • By choosing recycled Nylon, we can reduce dependence on petroleum resources.
  • It reduces waste from landfills and the ocean. Post-consumer recycled Nylon comes from discarded fishing nets or carpets.
  • Pre-consumer Recycled Nylon comes from industrial Nylon trash, which would be down-cycled, downgraded, or landfilled.
  • Less Co2 pollution: Recycled Nylon may emit 70% less CO2 than virgin Nylon

     

    Where Can I Find More Information?

    Additional information is available at the Textile Exchange website. For more on this topic, follow the link below.

    Textile Exchange

     

     

     

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    Comments 1

    Wow someone needs to edit this page. Grammatically, it’s a mess. Also, there is mention of microplastic fibers shed from (virgin) nylon. These fibers ultimately end up in our waterways. How does they compare to the fibers of recycled nylon?

    Christina

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