Recycled Plastic Bottles - 100% Recycled Swimsuits

I have some people on Instagram asking me "how do the recycled plastic bottles turn into a swimsuit?" Well, it is a whole conscious and ethical process, and expensive. However, it is possible to make - not only swimwear - but ANYTHING with recycled plastic bottles. On this post I will explain a little bit about this process and how it will save our planet. 

It is sad to say this but, only 1% of all plastic bottles in the world go to the recycling center. Meaning that, the rest of it go to landfills which later on end up in the ocean. How sad right?!

Using recycled material in the fashion world tend to be very expensive and that is why many company don't use it in their garments, however, in the last few years some companies started to offer eco-friendly garments to their customers. 

There are many ways manufacturers do to transform recycled material into yarn, then fabrics. While some uses post-consumed waste such as fishing net and carpets, other opt for using RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES. 

What is rPET?

"rPET is recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic that is used to make packaging, such as plastic bottles and food containers. After the original PET containers are used by consumers, they are returned via a recycling program to a facility that sorts, cleans, and transforms the plastic into rPET flakes or pellets. The rPET flakes/pellets can then be reused to make new products, such as fiber for clothing and carpets or plastic for food and beverage containers. Converting post-consumer PET into a valuable resource helps the environment because rPET has a lower carbon footprint than virgin PET.

rPET fabrics behave like regular polyester ones, they are strong and durable with a regular texture. They allow to create a wide variety of finished products, while being themselves 100% recyclable. rPET has a good resistance to UV and wear as well as to elongation - not to mention its great quality: lightness.”

Why this textile is so expensive?

“Recycling is an expensive process. Processing companies do not all have a good moral integrity. It is impossible to detect  with the naked eye any difference between a rPET fabric and a virgin polyester fabric.”

Source: bottledwater 

“Eco-friendly textiles are not only the ones made out of natural fibers. Among the various eco-friendly options offered nowadays, recycled bottles appears to be the most relevant and durable ones. This yarn is composed of long and regular recycles plastic bottles fibers that allow the resulting fabric to have the same physical properties as virgin polyester."

We Wear Brazil recently launched a collection using 100% recycled plastic bottles fabric produced in Brazil. Check them out now: Brazil Raiz Collection