SOS: Sustainable Ocean Swimwear: How Choosing Econyl Can Help Preserve Our Planet
Designers: Your choice of swimwear fabric can make a difference to our planet
As individuals, we all try and make a contribution to help protect our planet and look after its natural resources. As manufacturers of swimwear and bikinis you can play a small part via the choice of fabrics and materials you use to create your swimsuits. One innovative solution that we are really impressed with is Econyl, a nylon material made from 100% recycled waste rescued from the ocean.
The Econyl Recycling Process
The Econyl regeneration system starts with collecting waste from the ocean, including discarded fishing gear, fishnets, and fishing lines. These items, also known as ghost lines, can cause harm to ocean life for centuries after the fishing boats have left, as they are not fully biodegradable. Microplastics released into the ocean can also become food for fish, potentially also ending up in the human food chain. Approximately 640,000 tons of fishing gear end up in the ocean each year.
In addition to fishing waste, Econyl also uses fabric scraps, carpet flooring, and industrial plastic as its raw materials.
The waste is then sorted and cleaned to recover all the nylon possible. The result is a radical regeneration process that transforms the waste back to its original form, making Econyl exactly the same as fossil-based nylon. The recycled nylon is then processed into yarns that can be used in the production of swimwear and bikinis. Vita by Carvico https://www.carvico.com/en/fabrics/vita/
It’s an amazing process and if you want more of a deep dive (pun intended) you can visit the Econyl website https://www.econyl.com/the-process/.
The process is one aspect but what are the actual benefits to the ocean and environment?
One of Econyl's key benefits is that it can be recycled infinitely without ever losing quality. So, when a swimming costume has come to the end of its use it can be recycled back into the regeneration process and prepared for its next use. By reducing the amount of waste discharged into landfills or the ocean, using Econyl aids in the preservation and sustainability of the ocean.
Another benefit is the reduced carbon footprint of Econyl compared to traditional nylon. Every 10,000 tons of Econyl raw material saves 70,000 barrels of crude oil and avoids 65,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This reduces nylons global warming impact by up to 90%.
You can create your swimwear for the ocean from the ocean!
At The Fabric Centre we were really interested in the Econyl regeneration system and its benefits for the environment. It’s why we have chosen to stock Carvico Vita https://www.thefabriccentre.co.uk/collections/carvico and are also looking into other Econyl fabrics such as Renew Rock and Renew Wave. By stocking Econyl we are making a small contribution to the preservation and sustainability of our planet.
We believe that by choosing Econyl, your business can do the same. By promoting your commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, you can attract new customers who care about the same things you do and keep the ones you already have who appreciate your efforts to help the planet.