“All Repreve fibres have a traceable element. From the moment we make yarn, we can trace it all the way through to the final product. So we can go to someone’s closet, take out a product, analyse it and say if it contains Repreve or not. avers Dederick Yansen, Director, Brand Sales, Europe.
Certified by the Scientific Certification Services, Repreve fibre brand is made totally from recycled material. The company, catering to some of the biggest clothing brands, is known as the largest manufacturer of recycled polyester fibres.
“All Repreve fibres have a traceable element. From the moment we make yarn, we can trace it all the way through to the final product. So we can go to someone’s closet, take out a product, analyse it and say if it contains Repreve or not. This traceability gives our customers and brands and retailers the chance to see if a product that claims to be a Repreve product does come from a mill that uses Repreve. It is like an insurance policy they get from us,” avers Dederick Yansen, Director, Brand Sales, Europe.
Largest recycled polyester manufacturer
The company makes several versions of Repreve but it is divided as: polyester yarn and nylon yarn. Polyester yarn is made from recycled PET bottles and nylon yarn is made from recycled industrial waste. The manufacturing facilities for both are different. Elaborating on the processes, Yansen says, “Polyester yarn is made from mechanical recycling. No chemicals are added. We take the polyester bottles, the bottles are washed, they are chopped and broken into chips. We transform the bottles into chips. We turn the chips into yarn and then the same polyester manufacturing process is followed. In case of nylon, it’s bit tricky. We use a chemical recycling process, add chemicals to break down the nylon into its components. Then we polymerise.”
Waste used to create Repreve yarns is sourced from industrial processes. Polyester yarn is made from consumer waste and nylon yarn is made from industrial waste. “Our global capacity for Repreve polyester is 50,000 metric tons a year. That makes us the largest recycled polyester manufacturer in the world. We have several production facilities. The main one is in the US. We also have facilities in China, Turkey, Central America and South America. The US represents 70 per cent of our production and China is 30 per cent. But China is growing faster than the US. And our production in Asia is pretty large compared to many of our competitors,” he adds.
The company’s nylon production capacity is much smaller, about 10,000 metric tons a year since nylon waste is not easily available. Repreve yarns boast of top quality and come with added functions like moisture management, UV protection and different touch and feel factors produced with Repreve polymers.
Repreve yarns stand out amid competition
Explaining the reason behind the popularity of Repreve yarns, Yansen says, “It is because of the marketing efforts, labelling and tagging program that people can use distinguishes Repreve from other polyester fibres. We support brands and retailers with our branding and name. It helps them promote recycled polyester.”
The raw materials used by the company are a bit expensive than virgin polyester and the manufacturing process is slower and more controlled. This leads to a rise in pricing. The upcharge on the final product is not as high as what you see on the yarn itself. The upcharge is five to ten per cent on the average product. With brands world over committed to using more sustainable materials, recycled polyester yarns are in demand. The company supplies yarns to global names such as Nike, Reebok, North Face, Quick Silver, Peak Performance and Adidas.
“We also serve retailers like H&M. We work very closely with brands and retailers. We ensure they take advantage of the Repreve brand name. We offer them free tags. We offer them a website presence. We are very active on social media. We sponsor sports events. We spread awareness that a plastic bottle can be turned into a very cool product like a T-shirt or a pair of trousers. We convey the message that Repreve doesn’t rely on natural resources, that it consumes less water and energy and releases less greenhouse gases,” Yansen exclaims.
www.repreve.com
