Recycled PET, for a much more sustainable future

Recycled PET: its impact on circularity | Spradling

Circularity in fabric production is becoming increasingly important. But what is it about? It is a model that continuously reduces, reuses and recycles materials, reducing waste in production and consumption. In this context, it is necessary to know about recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

Manufacturers commonly use PET to make bottles and other plastic packaging. With circularity in mind, they can recycle and transform it into fabric fibers, for example. Therefore, one of its uses is the manufacture of the backing of coated fabrics, avoiding the use of new raw materials and taking advantage of second-generation resources.

This process contributes to achieving the “zero waste” objective, mainly by preserving resources and reducing carbon emissions. Considering that humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic per year, recycled PET can make a big difference (UN, 2023).

Environmental impact of virgin PET and benefits of recycled PET

The production of virgin PET, although important for many applications, has a significant environmental impact. Especially, in the extraction of natural resources and high energy consumption. However, by recycling PET, these negative effects are considerably reduced.

The benefits of being able to use it for the manufacture of coated fabrics include:

Reduced use of natural resources: by reusing existing plastic, the need to produce new PET is reduced.
Reduced energy consumption: the PET recycling process consumes less energy, compared to the production of virgin PET.
Support for sustainable development: it encourages more responsible practices in the manufacturing industry. Everything always aligned to the concept of zero waste.
Reduced plastic waste: using recycled PET helps reduce the amount of plastics in landfills and oceans.

The process of transforming PET into fabric fibers

PET recycling involves several steps to convert used plastic into usable fibers. The process includes:

Collection and classification: manufacturers gather and sort PET plastic bottles based on their type.
Cleaning: they clean the bottles to remove residues and contaminants.
Shredding: then, they shred the cleaned bottles into small flakes.
Melting and extrusion: melt the flakes to form continuous fibers.
Fabric fiber production: manufacturers weave recycled fibers into yarn, which is used in fabric manufacturing.

Features and design possibilities

Thanks to technological advances, these fabrics meet high sustainability standards. At the same time, they offer a wide variety of design options.

In short, recycled PET is important in the transition to a circular economy in the manufacturing industry. Its use promotes sustainable development, helping to achieve the goal of zero waste. By opting for fabrics made from this PET, we support innovation and sustainability. In this way, we also contribute to a cleaner and more responsible future.

Bibliographic references

Álvarez, S. (2023, May 25). Guía sobre el PET: propiedades, producción y aplicaciones. Plástico.
Are you R. (2022, May 19). rPET: todo sobre el PET reciclado.
ONU. (2023, April 25). Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre la contaminación por plásticos.