What Are The Pros And Cons Of Recycled Polyester?

First Things First: Define Polyester

The patented creation of the synthetic fibre polyester occurred in 1941. It has progressed greatly since then to become the most sought-after fabric in the fashion industry. In the fibre sector, polyester now holds a 55 percent market share with its current global production of 76.66 million tonnes. It's hardly surprising that polyester is so popular given that it can be used to make inexpensive, high-quality fabric. Conversely, obviously, this can't go on forever. Polyester originates from polythene terephthalate (PET), the plastic with the highest global production volume.

The use of recycled polyester is essential here. Polyester used in the manufacturing of recycled goods comes from a variety of recycled materials, including PET bottles, industrial polyester waste, and even clothing. What this means is that many companies are finding creative ways to reuse plastic instead of simply discarding it.

Since then, the material's popularity in the marketplace has skyrocketed. The use of natural fibres like cotton and wool had declined by 1968, while that of synthetic fibres like polyester had increased. Since it is derived from petroleum—a finite resource—Polyester is inherently unsustainable. Furthermore, high temperatures are required for the dyeing process, which increases the overall energy cost of production. Large quantities of hazardous waste are produced during petrochemical processing, and the emissions from this process can have long-lasting and even permanent effects on the quality of air, land, and water. With that out of the way, let's talk about the benefits and drawbacks of using recycled polyester.

Advantages of Using Recycled Polyester

Recycling plastic and turning it into fabric is a great benefit of recycled polyester since it reduces waste. The amount of plastic waste in the world today makes the search for new uses for this material an urgent need. Reusing materials from the consumption economy helps us save space and money.

When compared to virgin polyester, the environmental impact of recycled polyester fabric is lower. It can be made without the requirement for any additional natural resources to be taken from the planet. As an added bonus, 59% less energy is used to create recycled polyester.

However, recycled polyester still has all the virtues of virgin polyester. It's transformed into a material that is tough, elastic, lightweight, and resistant to various chemicals. You can use the recycled material to construct workout clothes that are just as effective.

Reduced Plastic Waste in Landfills and the Ocean

Material that isn't biodegradable and would otherwise be dumped in a landfill or the ocean can be reused in the production of recycled polyester. Each year, 8 million tonnes of plastic—on top of the estimated 150 million tonnes that are recycled—are dumped into the ocean. To achieve the same results as 100% polyester, but with less material cost, you can use polyester instead.

Recycled polyester has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester, but it requires only 41% of the power to manufacture. Recycled polyester production has the potential to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 32% compared to conventional polyester production. Furthermore, recycled polyester can aid in lessening the need for crude oil and natural gas to be extracted from the Earth in order to produce further plastic.

What gives with the widespread use of polyester then, if it's so awful? Polyester, on the other hand, is durable,low-maintenance, and resistant to wrinkles. It doesn't absorb water, so there's no need to dry it in a dryer after washing, which is wonderful news for consumers. It's recyclable, consumes far less water in production than cotton, and both of those things are important. There are likely enough polyester textiles out there to be recycled, and the claim that polyester can be recycled multiple times into a material of equivalent quality to that of the raw fibre suggests that virgin polyester may be less in demand than previously thought. Now we may discuss the disadvantages of using recycled polyester. I say this because I was blind to a big drawback until lately.

Disadvantages of Using Recycled Polyester

Polyester is a non-biodegradable plastic that will always remain in the environment no matter how many times it is recycled. When we wash our clothes, the microplastics are shredded. Microplastics are defined as particles and fibres of plastic that are smaller than 5 millimetres in length. Due to their diminutive stature, they are able to get through water filters and into the water distribution networks, ultimately making their way to the oceans. According to Fashion Revolution International, textiles are responsible for 34.8% of global microplastic contamination. It will have devastating impacts on marine life and the marine ecosystem.

Plastic, unlike materials like glass and metal, has a finite recycling life. The complexity of the recycling process itself degrades the plastic. The material's original quality is diminished over time. A plastic item can only be recycled twice or three times before it loses too much quality to be reused.

To conclude,  polyester recycling still has a large effect on the environment. While it's less expensive than creating brand-new plastic, the process still relies on chemicals to ensure colour uniformity, as the mechanical method can't provide the same assurances. There is often a lack of clarity on the safe and proper disposal of chemical waste.

The Potential of Plastic Recycling is Limited

Many clothing today are not made entirely of polyester but rather use a  polyester blend.It makes recycling them more difficult if that's the case.

At some time, even items made entirely of polyester can no longer be recycled. PET can be recycled in one of two ways: mechanically or chemically. Mechanical recycling involves taking an empty plastic bottle and transforming it back into a polyester chip so that it can be used in the conventional fibre production process. Recycling plastics chemically breaks down used plastic into its component monomers, which cannot be distinguished from new polyester. They can then be integrated back into the standard polyester production process. Mechanical recycling is the most common method because it is cheaper and uses no chemicals (apart from the detergents used to clean the input materials). However, the strength of the fibre may be compromised during mechanical processing, requiring the insertion of fresh fibre to compensate.

Recycling Pet Has Environmental Consequences

Mechanical recycling of polyester can produce chips that are inconsistent in colour, ranging from crisp white to creamy yellow. Some dyers struggle to get a white and resort to bleaches containing chlorine to lighten their starting material. Additionally, irregular dye uptake makes it difficult to attain good batch-to-batch colour constancy, which can lead to substantial quantities of re-dyeing, which in turn increases the quantity of water, energy, and chemicals consumed.

The Microplastics that Are Released from Recycled Polyester

Lastly, there are many who dispute the claim that  recycled polyester prevents trash from entering waterways. Although they contribute less now, man-made garments can shed microplastic fibres. Researchers at Plymouth University in the United Kingdom found that washing machines can discharge up to 700,000 plastic fibres into the environment with each cycle.

To begin, recycled polyester clothing is typically fabricated from recycled PET bottles and not from previously worn apparel. Even though it's excellent that we've found a way to recycle our disposable plastic bottles, it also means that there are a large deal of non-biodegradable polyester clothes still floating around in the world's landfills.

Second, are you familiar with the term "micro plastic"? Apparently, when you wash your polyester clothes these tiny fibres are shed by all textiles, new and recycled alike, and are not captured by the filtration in our washing machines or wastewater treatment facilities. These organisms find their way into our water systems and oceans, where they are consumed by fish. It follows that consuming fish is analogous to ingesting plastic.

Burning all the plastic and synthetic fibres out there (in a responsible fashion, of course, maybe providing some heating for houses in the process) might be the most sustainable thing to do, but it is certainly not the most practical thing to do right now. Since polyester is so durable, it is often used for sportswear, yogawear, and swimwear.

So, What's Next?

The fabrics we use to dress are significant. Like any other material, recycled polyester has its advantages and disadvantages. When compared to virgin polyester, it has significantly fewer negative environmental effects. However, this isn't necessarily the best long-term solution. Nothing is as simple as it may seem, so give careful consideration to your next clothing purchase. Here are some things you can do and that we suggest you do as well to lessen your impact: 

• Recycled polyester is preferable to virgin polyester. Always. It's preferable to use natural materials whenever possible.
• Instead than buying a lot of cheap clothes, invest in a few high-quality pieces.
• Studies have revealed that polyester clothes shed more fibres in a top loading machine than in a front loading machine. This can be avoided by washing less frequently and switching to a front loading washing machine.
• Use Guppy Friend or another fibre filter bag when you wash your clothes.

There are pros and cons to using sustainable materials in fashion, but choosing to do so will lessen the ecological footprint of the industry as a whole. We can't stop the drawbacks of recycled polyester from existing, but we can mitigate them by buying less of it and selecting higher quality (it will shred less). In most cases, the most eco-friendly option is to purchase goods from firms that prioritise transparency and the use of high-quality materials.

Conclusion

Polyester is produced from polythene terephthalate (PET), the most widely used plastic in the world. The amount of fibre required to make one T-shirt can be obtained by recycling five water bottles. Forecasts predict that by 2030, approximately half of all clothes will be composed of polyester. The amount of plastic waste in the world today makes the search for new uses for this material an urgent need. To achieve the same results as 100% polyester, but with less material cost, you can use recycled polyester instead.

Recycled polyester has the potential to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 32% compared to conventional polyester production. Polyester is a non-biodegradable plastic that will always remain in the environment no matter how many times it is recycled. Recycling plastics chemically breaks down used plastic into its component monomers, which cannot be distinguished from new polyester. While it's less expensive than creating brand-new plastic, the process still relies on chemicals to ensure colour uniformity. Recycled polyester is often used for sportswear, yogawear, and swimwear.

When compared to virgin polyester, it has significantly fewer negative environmental effects. The most eco-friendly option is to purchase goods from firms that prioritise transparency and the use of high-quality materials.

Content Summary

• Forecasts predict that by 2030, approximately half of all clothes will be composed of polyester.
• Thanks to the Athleisure movement, there has been a rise in demand for versatile, long-lasting clothing.
• As polyester is produced from polythene terephthalate (PET), the most widely used plastic in the world, it is not a sustainable textile choice.
• In a nutshell, crude oil is used to make the vast majority of our garments.
• Recycled materials, and especially recycled polyester, are on the rise as people become more conscious of the harm that their plastic use causes to the environment.
• When it comes down to it, recycling is a good thing.
• We should question how sustainable recycled polyester is before rushing to buy it.
• While it's hard to argue against the moral superiority of recycling plastic, recycled polyester isn't exactly the most eco-friendly fabric option.
• It has progressed greatly since then to become the most sought-after fabric in the fashion industry.
• In the fibre sector, polyester now holds a 55 percent market share with its current global production of 76.66 million tonnes.
• It's hardly surprising that polyester is so popular given that it can be used to make inexpensive, high-quality fabric.
• Polyester originates from polythene terephthalate (PET), the plastic with the highest global production volume.
• The use of recycled polyester is essential here.
• Polyester used in the manufacturing of recycled goods comes from a variety of recycled materials, including PET bottles, industrial polyester waste, and even clothing.
• What this means is that many companies are finding creative ways to reuse plastic instead of simply discarding it.
• With that out of the way, let's talk about the benefits and drawbacks of using recycled polyester.
• Recycling plastic and turning it into fabric is a great benefit of recycled polyester since it reduces waste.
• The amount of plastic waste in the world today makes the search for new uses for this material an urgent need.
• Reusing materials from the consumption economy helps us save space and money.
• When compared to virgin polyester, the environmental impact of recycled polyester fabric is lower.
• As an added bonus, 59% less energy is used to create recycled polyester.
• However, recycled polyester still has all the virtues of virgin polyester.
• It's transformed into a material that is tough, elastic, lightweight, and resistant to various chemicals.
• Material that isn't biodegradable and would otherwise be dumped in a landfill or the ocean can be reused in the production of recycled polyester.
• Each year, 8 million tonnes of plastic—on top of the estimated 150 million tonnes that are recycled—are dumped into the ocean.
• To achieve the same results as 100% polyester, but with less material cost, you can use polyester instead.
• Recycled polyester has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester, but it requires only 41% of the power to manufacture.
• Recycled polyester production has the potential to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 32% compared to conventional polyester production.
• Furthermore, recycled polyester can aid in lessening the need for crude oil and natural gas to be extracted from the Earth in order to produce further plastic.
• Polyester, on the other hand, is durable,low-maintenance, and resistant to wrinkles.
• There are likely enough polyester textiles out there to be recycled, and the claim that polyester can be recycled multiple times into a material of equivalent quality to that of the raw fibre suggests that virgin polyester may be less in demand than previously thought.
• Now we may discuss the disadvantages of using recycled polyester.
• Polyester is a non-biodegradable plastic that will always remain in the environment no matter how many times it is recycled.
• When we wash our clothes, the microplastics are shredded.
• According to Fashion Revolution International, textiles are responsible for 34.8% of global microplastic contamination.
• It will have devastating impacts on marine life and the marine ecosystem.
• Plastic, unlike materials like glass and metal, has a finite recycling life.
• The complexity of the recycling process itself degrades the plastic.
• A plastic item can only be recycled twice or three times before it loses too much quality to be reused.
• To conclude, polyester recycling still has a large effect on the environment.
• Many clothing today are not made entirely of polyester but rather use a polyester blend.
• At some time, even items made entirely of polyester can no longer be recycled.
• PET can be recycled in one of two ways: mechanically or chemically.
• Mechanical recycling is the most common method because it is cheaper and uses no chemicals (apart from the detergents used to clean the input materials).
• Mechanical recycling of polyester can produce chips that are inconsistent in colour, ranging from crisp white to creamy yellow.
• Lastly, there are many who dispute the claim that recycled polyester prevents trash from entering waterways.
• Although they contribute less now, man-made garments can shed microplastic fibres.
• Researchers at Plymouth University in the United Kingdom found that washing machines can discharge up to 700,000 plastic fibres into the environment with each cycle.
• To begin, recycled polyester clothing is typically fabricated from recycled PET bottles and not from previously worn apparel.
• Even though it's excellent that we've found a way to recycle our disposable plastic bottles, it also means that there are a large deal of non-biodegradable polyester clothes still floating around in the world's landfills.
• Second, are you familiar with the term "micro plastic"?
• Apparently, when you wash your polyester clothes these tiny fibres are shed by all textiles, new and recycled alike, and are not captured by the filtration in our washing machines or wastewater treatment facilities.
• These organisms find their way into our water systems and oceans, where they are consumed by fish.
• It follows that consuming fish is analogous to ingesting plastic.
• Burning all the plastic and synthetic fibres out there (in a responsible fashion, of course, maybe providing some heating for houses in the process) might be the most sustainable thing to do, but it is certainly not the most practical thing to do right now.
• Since polyester is so durable, it is often used for sportswear, yogawear, and swimwear.
• The fabrics we use to dress are significant.
• Like any other material, recycled polyester has its advantages and disadvantages.
• When compared to virgin polyester, it has significantly fewer negative environmental effects.
• However, this isn't necessarily the best long-term solution.
• Here are some things you can do and that we suggest you do as well to lessen your impact: Recycled polyester is preferable to virgin polyester.
• It's preferable to use natural materials whenever possible.
• Instead than buying a lot of cheap clothes, invest in a few high-quality pieces.
• Use Guppy Friend or another fibre filter bag when you wash your clothes.
• There are pros and cons to using sustainable materials in fashion, but choosing to do so will lessen the ecological footprint of the industry as a whole.
• We can't stop the drawbacks of recycled polyester from existing, but we can mitigate them by buying less of it and selecting higher quality (it will shred less).
• In most cases, the most eco-friendly option is to purchase goods from firms that prioritise transparency and the use of high-quality materials.