Recycled Polyester and Synthetic Fabrics

FASHION · UNITED KINGDOM

Recycled Polyester and Synthetic Fabrics

What recycled polyester actually is, microfibres, washing and judging claims

Recycled polyester appears on a great many labels now, and understanding what it is and is not makes the claims easier to read.

What it is

Usually plastic bottles broken down and spun into fibre, which uses less energy and no new oil compared with virgin polyester. That is a genuine improvement over virgin material.

It is not closed-loop recycling of clothing into clothing, which remains technically difficult and rare. Taking bottles out of a bottle-to-bottle system to make fabric is a trade-off rather than an unambiguous gain.

Microfibres

All synthetic textiles shed tiny fibres when washed, and those reach watercourses. Recycled polyester sheds in the same way as virgin polyester, which is the part the marketing rarely mentions.

Washing less often, washing full loads at lower temperatures, and using a filter bag or an in-machine filter all reduce it measurably. New machines in France must now include a filter, with other countries considering it.

Where synthetics make sense

Performance clothing, waterproofs and anything needing stretch or fast drying. Natural fibres cannot do those jobs as well, which is the honest position.

Judging a claim

Look for a stated percentage and a certification such as the Global Recycled Standard, which is auditable. Vague language about sustainability without a figure is not verifiable.

Natural fibres

Cotton, wool, linen and hemp each have their own costs — water and land use for cotton, methane for wool — so no fibre is straightforwardly better. Organic and certified options reduce some of those.

Blends of natural and synthetic fibres are the hardest to recycle, which is worth knowing when a garment reaches the end.

Buying less and better

Check the construction — seam allowances, buttons, whether the garment can be repaired — since those determine whether it lasts. Cost per wear is the honest measure.

End of life

Resale, swaps, charity shops and textile banks, which take worn items for recycling rather than the bin.

Washing synthetics

Cool washes, full loads, less detergent and no fabric softener, which coats fibres and reduces performance. Air dry rather than tumble drying, since heat degrades elastane and technical finishes.

Wash technical kit promptly rather than leaving it damp in a bag.

Buying

Check the fibre composition on the label rather than the description, since a garment described as natural may be a blend. Recycled content should be stated as a percentage.

A garment you will wear fifty times is the more useful question than the fibre.

The largest factor

Wearing a garment twice as long halves its impact per wear, whatever the fibre.

Repair and pass things on rather than binning them.

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