Used marine apparel gets recycled

Teijin Fibers Ltd., Osaka, Japan, now employs its closed-loop polyester fiber recycling system, ECO CIRCLE™, to convert worn marine clothing to new marine apparel. Teijin’s ECO STORM®, a waterproof and breathable fabric made from recycled fibers and a durable thin polyester film, will be incorporated into 2010 Blue Eco sailing wear produced by Henri Lloyd, a Manchester, England, maker of technical sailing apparel sold in 41 countries.

Henri Lloyd’s Blue Eco partners will accept worn-out apparel (including items made of ECO STORM) from customers and ship it to Teijin Fibers, where it will be converted into polyester raw material comparable to that derived from conventional petroleum-based processes. Teijin will convert the recycled material into ECO CIRCLE fabrics to make new products, and the cycle goes on. Repeated re-use of the polyester fibers saves energy and reduces carbon dioxide emissions, a plus for marketing to clients who live outdoors. “This is a positive first step on a long journey to become a more environmentally friendly company,” says Paul Strzelecki, joint chief executive of Henri Lloyd.