Intense regulatory deployment of the European Green Deal, textile industry. Due to its increased consumption, the fourth sector in the old continent has the largest environmental and climate impact after food, shelter and mobility; the third is in the use of water and land; and fifth in demand for primary raw materials and greenhouse gas emissions. Its reinvention is similar to the one that lies before the automobile as also the basic engine of the economy. source Jobs high added value and with a transcendence that goes far beyond fashion. “Textile is the fabric of everyday life: In clothing and furniture, medical and protective devices, buildings and vehicles”, the EU acknowledges in its Strategy for the circularity and sustainability of textiles, it proposes a “new approach” to address the challenges of sustainability in clothing “in a harmonious manner”. all products marketed “durable, repairable and recyclable” is produced “to a large extent” from previously used fibers, does not contain dangerous substances and is “respectful of social rights and the environment”. “Fast fashion – according to Brussels – is no longer fashionable”.
Every year in Spain about 900,000 tons of clothes, and the vast majority, nearly 90% end up in landfills, According to the latest report by Moda re-, the non-profit social enterprise cooperative promoted by Cáritas to give them a second life. The main obstacle in the race for textile circularity is in the composition of the garment itself. Crossover of materials makes it difficult to reassess. For example, while viscose can be processed better, much less progress has been made with polyester, a plastic that often appears to be mixed with cotton. Combined, they form the usual polycotton. Their use is so frequent—look at the labels of the things they carry with them—because it’s hard to tell them apart. Polyester is synthetic and cotton is a natural fiber. An obstacle that inditex just got shot
Zara, The leading chain launched yesterday the first capsule collection made from recycled materials from textile waste made from polyester and cotton blends in 11 countries. He did this in collaboration with Circ, an American startup specializing in textile recycling technology and chaired by the giant. martha ortega It acquired an equity stake during a $30 million funding round conducted in July last year – including the organization Breakthrough Energy Ventures, founded by Milliken & Company, Lansdowne Partners and Bill Gates – to accelerate the leap to scale of Circ’s innovative solutions. “We aim to advance in the circularity of the textile industry”.
“Circ’s innovative recycling technology, for the first time, separate the blended polyester and cotton fibers and recover the two components” refers to Inditex in a statement. How is the process? The two fibers are separated by a hydrothermal process that liquefies the polyester fraction. Heat and pressure are used to leave liquid polyester waste on one side and cotton waste on the other. The two materials return to their original state. Recycled cotton is turned into “pulp flakes and rolls”, which are used to replace wood pulp from trees, which is the main component of virgin lyocell, the raw material that feeds the collection. Another new polyester is made with recycled polyester, “thereby replacing the use of fossil resources from petroleum.”
The price of the four pieces, consisting of a top, blouse, trousers and shorts, that make up the capsule women’s collection, is 39.95 Euros. The creative direction was carried out by the Zara Woman design team. They are “fluid and light pieces in burgundy tones” that can be recycled at the end of their life.
“This collection andIt is a prime example of innovation and research in new fibers. Inditex Director of Sustainability, Javier Losada, is committed to “change” and “leading the transformation of our industry by creating fashion proposals from the cyclical” of both the Zara chain and the rest of the Arteixo-based conglomerate. “We believe our alliance with Zara can mean a truly transcendent shift in consumers’ vision for sustainability in the fashion industry,” adds Peter Majeranowski, CEO of Circ, who is committed to a “new future” with Zara. all the clothes that are part of our wardrobe come from recycled materials and are recyclable”.