This year, we've gone back to our roots and used 100% recycled nylon fabric. We've used crimped yarn that gives the fabric stretch without adding polyurethane, resulting in a crisp and refreshing finish without the fabric sagging due to water retention. We've also retained the characteristic textured interior of the recycled nylon and cupra blend fabric used last year, which allows it to stay away from the skin.
Both yarn and fabric continue to be manufactured domestically.
The original model was said to emit 75% less CO2 during manufacturing than virgin nylon yarn, but the exact figure for this new fabric is unclear (no manufacturer-published figures have been released). However, because the process of spinning nylon yarn from pre-consumer nylon waste is the same, we believe that CO2 emissions have been significantly reduced.
The importance of using recycled materials
Of the "life cycle" of clothing, from the production of yarn to disposal after wear, the process that produces the most CO2 is the raw material production process, which accounts for approximately 50%. In other words, reducing CO2 emissions during raw material production will significantly reduce the environmental impact of each piece of clothing. In the case of pre-consumer recycled nylon, there are examples where CO2 emissions are reduced by as much as 75%, so we believe that using recycled materials as much as possible and choosing and wearing clothes made from such materials is an important action.
