BY KATARINA GUENTHER

Purchasing a garment made from recycled plastic bottles can lead many consumers to feel they are making a positive and sustainable choice, but is it a form of greenwashing? According to a 2019 study published by Reuters, every minute over one million plastic bottles are purchased in the United States alone, with 1,500 of those bottles consumed each second.

With plastic water bottles being a heavily consumed product that takes almost 450 years to break down, reusing that waste to keep it out of landfills is a huge goal for the eco-conscious community. Enter a fashion industry innovation to repurpose plastic water bottles into rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) fabric.

Though the production of materials made from recycled bottles seems to be a simple process, turning the material into its final form can cause concerns. The process of deconstructing plastic bottles most often used is called mechanical recycling, which involves melting the plastic into a liquid form. The liquid is then extruded into long filament fibers and cut into smaller pellets. According to Marina Liao from The Zoe Report, a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle publication, these pellets are used by a yarn or fabric mill to convert them into a final product with brands such as The Girlfriend Collective and Repreve.

ARE THERE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH rPET POLYESTER?

Converting the recycled bottle into usable material is not toxic on its own, but the processing methods such as dying and adding finishes such as antimicrobial and hydrophobic coatings to the material may create hazardous working conditions in addition to adding chemicals to the clothing, which make them potentially unsafe for the wearer. Without proper oversight and certifications in manufacturing, consumers may be led into false comfort in the purchase of certain recycled plastic garments, believing that the garment is both less toxic and less wasteful.

While the use of post-consumer plastic water bottles in fashion has created a major milestone to keep them from ending up in landfills, it doesn’t necessarily prevent the clothing from eventually ending up there— although brands such as ADAY and Reformation have take-back programs to keep the circularity of the item alive. Disappointingly, certain brands have also been known to source virgin plastic bottles to create rPET polyester due to its reduced cost.

STANDARDS TO CONSIDER
To address both toxicity and waste concerns, certain certifications exist to protect against negative supply chain management, prevent greenwashing, and provide peace of mind to consumers. Names to look for include the OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, which tests all aspects of a garment for hazardous chemicals, and SA8000, which protects workers across the globe from unsafe working conditions and standardizes worker wages. Finally, the Global Recycled Standard certification helps ensure that suppliers do not use virgin plastic and only collect and recycle the water bottles used for yarns. According to Liao, these are just a few of the measures that brands can take to reduce the potential health and environmental concerns associated with rPET garments.

WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Other considerations for all garments produced from synthetic fibers include the product use and life cycle. It is nearly impossible to tell how much microplastic in our oceans is caused by garment washing, compared to single-use packaging or other sources. However, the use of a microplastic filter or a garment wash bag (we like Guppyfriend) can significantly decrease the amount of microplastics released into waterways. While washing machine filters capture microplastics before they enter your drain, garment bags can reduce the friction of clothing fibers when washing and also capture microfibers bound for our waterways. Additional ways to reduce microfiber shedding in synthetic fabrics when washing include washing items in cold water, using front-loading washing machines or those without agitators, and washing clothes less often. Of course, consuming fewer garments, shopping second-hand, and upcycling your clothing are great ways to reduce your overall environmental impact when it comes to fashion.

And when it comes to shopping for garments that use rPET fibers, there’s no need to feel guilty. Instead, opt to consider where the item comes from, what you can find out about the maker’s manufacturing practices, and whether another article of clothing might be better for you and the environment. There is no perfect answer to these questions, but they can leave room for more research, innovation, and understanding.