British fashion designer Stella McCartney presented the world’s first garment made from organic recycling at the COP28 climate summit together with US recycling company Protein Revolution. The jacket is made of recycled polyester, created from plastic waste using artificial intelligence and biological recycling.
The parka is inspired by parachute jackets from Stella McCartney’s collections. The material was made using Protein Evolution’s Biopure technology. Packaging waste and conveyor belts that were previously used to secure freight containers are converted into recycled polyester.
The process uses enzymes developed by an AI. These enzymes break down the waste into the raw materials that are used to make polyester. This means that new fossil fuels are no longer needed to produce recycled polyester.
If these raw materials are integrated back into the manufacturing process, polyester is created, which can be recycled infinitely. The Biopure polyester also has a significantly lower carbon footprint than conventional polyester made with petroleum. The technology is capable of processing and converting a wide range of waste – from plastic bottles and shells to industrial textiles and clothing.
Recycling, innovation and circular economy
“This is a pivotal moment in the fashion industry’s journey towards circularity of textiles,” said Connor Lynn, co-founder and chief business officer of Protein Evolution, in a statement.
“Not only is this jacket a testament to the benefits and quality of bio-recycled polyester, it also offers companies an alternative to landfill or incineration of leftover textiles, extending the life of their materials indefinitely.”
The British label was an early investor and brand partner of Protein Evolution. The recycling company’s first round of funding was led by investment fund ‘Collab SOS’, which partnered with McCartney and LVMH.
Late last year, Protein Evolution and McCartney also announced a research and development collaboration to transform unused polyester and nylon fabrics into “as-new” products. Protein Evolution processes leftover polyester and nylon fabrics from Stella McCartney’s collections and converts them into new fibers.
“Everyone who knows me knows that I hate waste. That’s why I’m so excited about our collaboration with Protein Evolution. Through my SOS fund, we were among the first to invest in their groundbreaking biological recycling technology. “This technology has the potential and power to transform the world’s plastic waste into infinitely recyclable polyester,” commented Stella McCartney on the collaboration.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk.