Amsterdam-based sustainable fashion platform Fashion for Good has
launched a new pilot project with the goal of developing a circular
solution for plastic bags.
The Circular Polybag Pilot, which is slated to begin in early 2020 and
will run for around three to five months, has been launched in partnership
with major names in the fashion industry including Adidas, C&A, Kering,
Otto Group and PVH Corp., and uses patented technology from Spanish-based
innovator Cadel Deinking.
The technology deinks and removes adhesives from post-consumer polybag
waste to produce high-quality Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) pellets which
can then be used to manufacture new polybags. Pilot partners in the project
will supply the waste after collecting it from brand distribution centres
and retail stores. Once the pellets are produced, the parent company of Cadel,
Gaviplas, will manufacture them into new polybags that can re-enter the supply
chain.
Stefan Krantz, head of group services at the Otto Group, said in a statement: “We are
pleased to be part of the Circular Polybag Pilot and to seek sustainable
solutions together with other companies and strong partners in the apparel
industry. We can only make a real difference and make a big contribution to
sustainability with a closed-loop model that saves resources.”
The Circular Polybag Pilot is the first pilot in a programme of
activities initiated by Fashion for Good focusing on scalable solutions
that address the issue of plastics in the fashion industry.
Approximately 180 billion plastic bags are produced every year to store,
transport and protect garments, footwear and accessories, while less than 15 percent of polybags in
circulation are collected for recycling, according to
Fashion For Good.
To emphasise the current issues with polybags across the fashion
industry, Fashion for Good has also collaborated with the Sustainable Packaging
Coalition to produce a white paper titled “Polybags in the Fashion
Industry: Evaluating the Options” in which it details five steps that
brands can work on to reduce their impact.