Background/Challenge
The fashion and textile industry are one of the key contributors to the economic growth, as well as a leading employment generator. However, the industry has its inherent detrimental effect on environment and natural resources.
Hence, it is imperative that for long-term sustainability the industry works on reducing its carbon footprint and adopt concepts of circular economy to deal with the pollution it triggers, and the resultant climate change.
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), India’s largest private sector company, is spearheading the adoption of sustainability and circular economy concepts. As a part of its strategy to enhance sustainability of its operations, RIL, over the years, has built substantial capacities in recycling post-consumer PET bottles into high-quality polyester, branded Recron® GreenGold. RIL, the pioneer in India in making fibers out of post-consumer used PET bottles, recycles over 2 billion PET bottles every year.
Recycling is one of the vital processes in Reliance’s Green Technology concept. Used materials or plastic wastes are processed into new products to prevent wastage of potentially useful materials. It cuts down consumption of fresh raw materials, energy usage, air pollution and water pollution (from landfilling). It also reduces load on “conventional” waste disposal and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Introduction/Solution
As an industry leader, RIL works with entire textile and fashion value chain to inculcate circular economy concepts among industry participants through its Hub Excellence Programme (HEP). Reliance works closely with partner mills to manufacture R|Elan™ GreenGold, one of the greenest fabrics, using fibers made from post-consumer PET bottles, deploying efficient and certified manufacturing practices.
To make R|Elan™ GreenGold fabric, post-consumer PET bottles are crushed and converted into flakes. The flakes are then washed and converted into fibers, yarns, and fabrics.
R|Elan™ GreenGold is a testimony of circular economy and sustainability as it stops used PET bottles ending up in landfills and oceans. In fashion industry, consumers are becoming more sensitive to the environment friendliness quotient of apparels and accessories. These factors have made R|Elan™ GreenGold the most sought-after fabric among leading brands, retailers, fashion designers and style enthusiasts.
Questions are always asked whether recycled Polyester (r-PET) concept is sustainable or not. The answer is yes because the energy needed to make products from the r-PET is lesser than what is needed for virgin polyester (Energy Saving). Also, there is less CO2 emission during production of r-PET.
Reliance has developed a wide range of Green fibre variants, combining sustainability with various functional benefits like moisture management, Thermal management, etc.
Features/USPs
Unique used PET bottle collection system
- Pan India presence of ~150 PET bottle collection centres
- More than 90 reverse vending machines to facilitate post-consumer PET bottle collection
- Highly trained vendors for input materials who follow strict guidelines, rules and regulations pertaining to ethical treatment of labours and other best practices.
Value Proposition for Brands and Garment Manufacturers
- Assured 100% post-consumer PET bottles for raw material
- One of the greenest fibers
- Best-in-class quality and performance in fabric comparable to virgin products
- Product and bottle traceability, along with digital traceability
- Consistent dyeing performance
- Higher whiteness index and superior strength parameters
- Extensive supply chain support to partners, from yarns to garments, through HEP, including spinners, knitters, weavers and processors
Value Proposition for the Value Chain – Yarn and Fabric Mills
- Diversified product range for varied apparel and home textile categories
- CV % for GreenGold fiber properties is quite low, giving supreme yarn quality
- Availability of large lots for uniformity and consistency
- Enlarged product basket of pre-coloured, dope-dyed fibers
- Extensive technical support for all stages of manufacturing throughout the value chain
Applications
R|Elan™ GreenGold fabric can be used in manufacturing casual wear, denims, formals, active wear, and women’s ethnic and western wears. This fabric is also available for home textile segment under the brand name Recron® GreenGold.
R|Elan™ GreenGold fabrics are also available with additional functionalities such as R|Elan™ Kooltex for moisture management and R|Elan™ AirThem for thermal regulation properties.
Certifications
Environment friendliness features of Recron® and R|Elan™ GreenGold are further reinforced by the Quality & Regulatory Certificates obtained from various agencies in India & overseas.
- Recron® Green fibre and Tow are Oekotex 100, product Class-1 certified, which meets the human-ecological requirements of the standard established for baby articles.
- These products also fulfil the requirements of Annex XVII of REACH (including the use of Azo dyes, nickel, etc.)
- Conforms to the American requirement regarding total lead content in children’s articles (CPSIA)
Conclusion
R|Elan™ GreenGold is a testimony of successful implantation of circular economy concepts, making textile and fashion industry more sustainable. Apparels made from R|Elan™ GreenGold not only enhances aesthetics but also enables end consumers to partner in a drive of environment conservation.
