Is Recycled Polyester Actually Sustainable?
Like "jumbo shrimp" or "pygmy mammoth", "recycled polyester" seems to contradict itself. On one hand, recycled denotes an eco-friendly solution, yet polyester is a synthetic material from non-renewable resources. So which is it? Is recycled polyester made to increase landfills or is recycled polyester actually sustainable?
Recycled polyester is technically a sustainable material, originating from plastic water bottles which requires less energy than virgin polyester. However, recycled polyester is far less sustainable than hemp, bamboo, or other natural alternatives, as it relies on non-sustainable items.
There are varying shades of sustainability in clothing, and while recycled polyester is technically sustainable, there are some inherent downsides that muddy its sustainability factors. Let's look at the most critical components in more detail.
Recycled Polyester Is Sustainable, TECHNICALLY
Whenever you hear a product or fabric being labeled as sustainable, you should question the comparison and the degree of its sustainability.
For instance, is recycled polyester more sustainable than polyester? Yes absolutely.
Is it more sustainable than bamboo? No, not by a long shot.
The truth is, sustainability isn't an on-or-off switch - it has a wide spectrum and varying levels that qualify for the distinction. And in the world of fashion, sustainability can mean a lot of different things.
For some brands, sustainability is simply using recycled materials. For others, it's about only using materials that required zero synthetic materials in the production cycle.
While recycled polyester is a more sustainable option than virgin polyester, it's not perfect.
The main disadvantage of recycled polyester is that it's a synthetic fabric, meaning nature has no role in the creation of this one, so there are environmental consequences to its production.
There are three primary downsides to its sustainability.
Recycled Polyester Requires Harmful Products
Recycled polyester is typically made from post-consumer plastic bottles, which means at some point in the lifecycle, heavy manufacturing was carried out. Such as melting down plastics to create the bottles.
Among many ecological issues, this manufacturing process can release harmful chemicals into the environment, even though it predates the production of recycled polyester.
Compared to natural fibers, which can (keyword here is "can") be generated without harmful chemicals in their growth or processing, recycled polyester is not as environmentally friendly.
So while the intention of recycled polyester is good, the product wouldn't exist without harmful plastics. And this certainly wouldn't be an excuse to ramp up plastics production with the intent of giving it a second life as a garment.
Synthetic Materials Require Greater Energy
Breaking synthetic materials down requires far more energy than natural materials. And converting a waste product into new polyester yarn requires energy, just less than creating polyester from raw materials.
This is in comparison to natural fibers like cotton or wool, where farming, harvesting, and manufacturing require significantly less energy than their synthetic counterparts.
The embodied energy of recycled polyester is also worth considering. This term refers to the total amount of energy consumed to create a product. And while recycled polyester has a lower embodied energy than virgin polyester, it's still quite high.
Recycled Polyester Is Not Biodegradable
While recycled polyester is a more sustainable option than virgin polyester, it's not biodegradable or compostable. So when it comes to the end of its lifespan, it will sit in a landfill for centuries, just like any other synthetic fabric.
In contrast, natural fibers will break down over time and can be used as compost.
So while recycled polyester is a better choice than virgin polyester, keep in mind that it's not an environmentally friendly fabric. And when it comes to the end of its lifespan, you'll need to find another way to dispose of it.
Why Use Recycled Polyester?
Some garments just can't be made with attention to performance like recycled polyester or polyester can. Think of garments that require a large amount of stretch to get the job done.
Underwear, leggings, compression shorts, etc.
Much of the activewear industry relies heavily on polyester, recycled polyester, or alternatives that mimic this stretchable material since it’s ideal for activities that need give in the garments.
So the use case for recycled polyester comes down to the function of a garment, and if it required polyester. In which case you would weigh the pros and cons of each.
What's The Difference Between Recycled Polyester And Virgin Polyester?
From a performance standpoint, there is no difference between virgin polyester and recycled polyester. The key difference is environmental, and how the material is made; recycled polyester is made from post-consumer plastic bottles, whereas polyester requires new materials altogether.
Polyester, in general, is known for being a durable fabric. It's resistant to shrinking, stretching, and wrinkling. One of the most common questions about recycled polyester surrounds its ability to perform like virgin polyester.
And the answer is a resounding yes - recycled polyester will perform identically to virgin polyester.
The Environmental Impact of Recycled Polyester Versus Virgin Polyester
The difference is in the way the fiber is created.
Recycled polyester is made from post-consumer plastic bottles, which are melted down and turned into pellets. These pellets are then turned into yarn, which can be used to make recycled polyester fabrics.
On the other hand, virgin polyester is made from fossil fuels, such as natural gas and petroleum. The raw materials are chemically processed and turned into pellets, which are then made into yarn and fabric.
Let's look at the steps involved in creating recycled polyester.
The Process Of Making Recycled Polyester
1. Plastic water bottles are collected and sorted by material type (PET or HDPE)
2. The bottles are cleaned and chopped into small flakes
3. The flakes are melted and spun into tiny pellets
4. The pellets are spun into yarn, which is then used to create fabric
Now, let's compare that to the process of making virgin polyester:
The Process Of Making Virgin Polyester
1. Fossil fuels (natural gas and petroleum) are extracted from the earth
2. The raw materials are chemically processed and turned into pellets
3. The pellets are spun into yarn, which is then used to create fabric
This is of these processes are of course oversimplifications, but it gives you a general idea that the sourcing is the biggest difference, and that's where the most energy is consumed, and the most waste is created.
This isn't meant to provide an argument for creating more plastic waste - the point is if your garment requires the functionality of polyester, and no natural alternative will suffice, then recycled polyester is the better choice compared to polyester.
In other words, there are downsides to recycled polyester, just not to the environmentally harmful level of polyester.
The World Is Addicted To Polyester
Nearly 60% of all garments for sale today have polyester in them. That's roughly equal to 21.3 million tons of polyester - when you take into account the environmental impact of that of creating that textile, recycled polyester doesn't look so bad.
The fashion industry is the largest user of polyester, and it keeps growing. The demand for activewear in particular has exploded in recent years, which means, even more, polyester is being used.
Recycled polyester is a viable alternative to traditional polyester, and should certainly be considered for any brand exploring an alternative to the direct functionality of polyester.
It's certainly not the single answer to sustainable clothing, but recycled polyester can replace the creation of new polyester while giving a new purpose to plastic water bottles in landfills.
And at this moment, that's a valuable environmental upgrade.