Recycled Synthetic Fabrics: Role in Sustainable Fashion

Is Recycled Clothing Truly Sustainable? A Closer Look at Recycled Synthetic Fabrics

By Jackie Warehime

You’ve probably heard the saying…

One man’s trash is another man’s trouser. 

…or, something like that. When it comes to the topic of sustainable fashion, reducing waste and minimizing the impact of producing new clothing are two hot topics – topics that point green arrows in the direction of something that is growing in popularity: recycled clothing. 

Though you’re probably used to recycling salsa jars and old receipts, the idea of purchasing a recycled sweater might not be as familiar. With this idea comes questions: what exactly is recycled clothing, how is it done, and is it actually as eco-friendly as it might appear?

Though recycled synthetic fabrics have a lot of potential for eco-friendly fashion, there are nuances that need considering as well.

So, is recycled clothing something worth celebrating, and how can we separate eco-friendly fact from fiction?

What are Synthetic Fabrics? History, Types & Use

A woman's hands loosely hold a see through, white piece of fabric.

Though synthetic fabrics are now commonplace in most of our closets, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, these only gained prominence in the 1930s, when new products like nylon stockings were seen as innovative and quickly grew in popularity. 

Synthetic fabrics are those made from coal and petroleum, in contrast to fabrics like cotton or wool that are derived from sources found in nature. 

Since the first nylons in the 1930s, the use of synthetics has skyrocketed, now accounting for approximately 62 percent of all fibers produced yearly. Their low cost and qualities like stretch and water resistance make them especially ideal for items like athleticwear, shoes, and outerwear. 

Common Types of Synthetic Fabrics 

There’s a good chance some of what you’re wearing today is made from synthetic materials. Two of the most commonly used are:

  • Polyester: Crafted from fossil fuel polymers and known for being wrinkle resistant and lightweight in nature.
  • Nylon: Created as a silk alternative and ideal for items like stockings and bodysuits due to its flexibility.

Concerns of Synthetic Fabric Production

Unfortunately, the rise of synthetic popularity over the years has been paralleled with the rise of sustainability concerns. It’s easy to forget that these fabrics are essentially just plastic, and that means they come with some concerning qualities, including:

  • Energy Intensive: Synthetics use substantial energy in their production, which primarily comes from fossil fuels.
  • Water Usage: The production process also consumes a large amount of water for processing and cooling fibers.
  • Pollution: Synthetic fabrics contribute to pollution as they are not biodegradable and generate microplastic pollution.

However, avoiding synthetics isn’t a good solution. There are sustainability concerns with both synthetic and natural fiber clothing.

Especially since many areas of fashion, such as athletic wear, rely heavily on synthetics due to their unique qualities (e.g., stretchiness and water resistance), finding options that still meet the bill but come at a lower environmental footprint is a crucial step towards building a more  sustainable future.

A woman places a clear, single-use plastic water bottle in a woven recycling bin.

What are Recycled Synthetic Fabrics?

With growing awareness around the need for sustainable clothing materials and the unsustainable nature of synthetic materials, fashion companies started asking the question: 

Could one man’s trash be another man’s trouser, after all?

Turning old clothing into new clothing is a challenging ask, given the variety in blends of fabrics and varying dyes. So, people starting focusing more on the first part of that question: trash. 

Recycled clothing today is mostly made from pre- or post-consumer waste, like PET water bottles, old fishing lines, or garment scraps. This creates a recycled synthetic fabric that functionally mirrors a non-recycled fabric, but comes with a lower environmental impact.

How is Recycled Clothing Made?

After finding the waste materials, like collecting discarded fishing nets or plastic water bottles, the trash is then chemically processed to break it down into yarn, which is then woven into fabric. This process is quite similar to that of non recycled materials, but it mitigates the use of crude oil, which reduces the overall carbon footprint. 

Benefits of Recycled Synthetic Fabrics

Spinning the fibers is similar whether recycled or virgin materials are used but, as we mentioned, new crude oil isn’t utilized with recycled options.  Not to mention, collecting trash is a great eco-friendly practice in and of itself, and helps eliminate trash that would otherwise be polluting the ocean or ending up in a landfill.

Industrial nylon fishing nets sit in a pile of varying colors (green, yellow, and brown) and sizes

The Sustainability Concerns of Recycled Clothing

Recycled synthetic fabrics, despite their advantages, are not yet perfect solutions. The recycling process itself originates from materials that once were virgin materials (i.g., new or non-recycled) and therefore at one point still came with the same environmental issues we see in new materials today. Other concerns that complicate the narrative of recycled clothing include:

Greenwashing 

Greenwashing is the term that describes brands using marketing to appear more sustainable, while not improving their actions. Unfortunately, words like “recycled” and “sustainable” are two of the most commonly used greenwashing terms, as they’re hard to prove. For example in 2022 H&M, the Swedish fast fashion brand, was sued for misleading sustainability marketing, claiming that their garments were made with more sustainable materials, including recycled polyester, which turned out not to be true.

Toxic Dyes 

When I look to purchase a garment, the main question on my mind regarding the color is if I like it or not. Unfortunately, how the fabric is dyed to give it this color is an important part of the story as well. 

Today, around 90 percent of our clothing is dyed synthetically, instead of embracing healthier, natural dyes. While some toxic dyes have been banned in the EU, they often are still found in clothing that is made in other countries. One such example are azo dyes, which are known to be carcinogenic and can cause irritation to skin and eyes.

Micro Fibers

Though I previously mentioned that recycled synthetic fabrics can help clean up our oceans, they can also do the opposite. When washing synthetic fabrics, tiny particles shed from the garments. 

These microfibers (also called microplastics), are commonly flushed into the water streams every time we wash our clothes, and can be detrimental to the health of marine life. They can also end up in the soil, detrimentally affecting crops and agriculture. Recent studies estimate there is a staggering 14 million tonnes of microplastics on the ocean floor.

Overconsumption and Landfill Waste

Though finding eco-friendly materials is a huge step in the right direction, to really point ourselves towards a sustainable future, we need to also address our consumption habits. With the dominating culture of fast fashion that surrounds us, over-buying new clothing and tossing it when trends change has become widely accepted practice. 

As recycled clothing is created from pre- or post consumer waste; clothing itself is rarely recycled. This means that fast fashion garments, even those that are recycled, will likely still end up in a landfill. Synthetics, recycled or not, still have poor biodegradability – polyester, for example, can take over 500 years to decompose. 

How to Sustainably Embrace Recycled Clothing

Though recycled clothing today is not without its challenges, there are steps we can take to ensure the recycled options we’re embracing are as eco-friendly as they seem, an important step in crafting a sustainable wardrobe.

White shoes
Norm | 1L13-01 Sandstorm Beige 
  1. Seek transparency:

Look for brands that offer clear transparency into where their recycled materials are coming from and how much is actually recycled material, as well as brands who prioritize organic, well-sourced materials for the rest of the garment.

Belgian shoe brand Norm is an example of a company that just does that, with a carbon footprint that’s approximately 80 percent less than typical shoes due to their use of 90 percent recycled materials and ethically sourced natural rubber. This value of transparency is what makes Norm one of the best recycled shoe options you can proudly support.

  1. Embrace toxic-free dyes: 

Check the clothing labels for terms such as “undyed” or “unbleached,” or look for the Oeko-Tex certification, an organization that prohibits the use of toxic chemicals and dyes. 

  1. Mitigate microfibers: 

Consider purchasing a microfiber filter or cloth bag, such as Guppyfriend, to stop the microfibres from entering the water streams. These filters catch the fibers as they break off in the wash.

Smiling woman in red and pink dress
Fat Face | Ikat Leaves Tankini Top
  1. Support slow fashion: 

Opt for slow fashion brands and avoid fast-fashion giants. Search for local designers in your area, or use sites like Good On You to search for sustainable companies worth your support. 

As slow fashion brands focus more on the environmental impacts, many opt for recycled fabrics where they can. Fat Face is an example of one of the best recycled swimwear brands that embraces slow fashion values, setting the standard as a fashionable brand that doesn’t compromise on sustainability. 

  1. Learn proper care:

Extend the life of your garments through proper care, including using natural detergents and air drying when possible.

A woman sits cross-legged, gazing out into a blurred city-scape view. She wears a jean jacket, black and white striped skirt, and sun glasses

A Sustainable Synthetic Future 

The horizon of sustainable fashion is full of exciting innovations, such as biodegradable materials, closed-loop manufacturing processes, and advanced textile recycling methods, which can help create a fashion industry that is as sustainable as it is stylish. Some of these innovations include:

Biodegradable Synthetics 

Innovative companies like Primaloft are creating synthetic materials that are optimized to break down in nature. These materials still have the benefits of synthetics, like flexibility and durability, without creating harmful waste and microplastic pollution as synthetic fabrics do today.

Closed-loop Manufacturing 

Changing the way we think about the product’s lifecycle is an important part of creating a more sustainable future, and that’s what the idea of closed-loop manufacturing does. Closed-loop manufacturing is a system where the end-life of the product is considered and designed for in its creation. Many brands are starting to embrace this by offering product take back programs, where they ensure the product is recycled or reused after the consumer is done with it.

Advancements in Textile Recycling 

Current recycling methods, like using plastic bottles for synthetic fibers, have limitations, as they rely on existing waste. A more future-focused solution is one that doesn’t rely on waste, such as textile-to-textile recycling. This is something that Uk-based company Worn Again Technologies is looking to do, developing processes to transform used polyester and cotton back into new textiles.

Conclusions

Recycled clothing can feel like both an exciting and confusing topic. Though challenges like greenwashing and microfiber pollution still exist today, learning to work around these challenges is one way to have an impact in stopping fast fashion. I, for one, am excited to see where the future of recycled clothing will take us, and think we’ll soon see how trash and treasure can be one in the same.

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Author Bio: 

Jackie Warehime is a New York-based designer and sustainability advocate with a background in product design. She writes about sustainable design at www.jackiewarehime.com, with the goal of exploring and expanding the ethical and sustainable approaches to crafting the world we live in.

Jackie Warehime