The integration of the circular economy into the textile industry is more than a trend. It represents an urgent need and an opportunity for innovation and differentiation. FashionUnited interviewed Jorge Mataix, partner and relative of Francisco Mataix, managing director of Belda Lloréns, who is aware of this. Since the founding of the ECOLIFE brand six years ago, the Alicante-based multinational company has been a leader in sustainability in spinning and a pioneer in Europe in the use of sustainable materials. The company carries out all of its production in Spain. To promote the circular economy, ECOLIFE is launching a new product this year: E-Circle.
What is the current situation of the European textile industry in relation to the circular economy?
Europe is currently focusing on digitalization and the circular economy. The textile sector, one of the largest CO2 emitters, plays a key role in this. At Belda Lloréns we are pioneers, especially in Spain, with a history of over forty years in the use of sustainable materials. The next step is to implement and promote the circular economy to make the textile industry more sustainable.
What do European laws say about the circular economy?
Laws are currently being developed at European and Spanish levels that will make clothing manufacturers responsible for the entire life cycle of their products, from the use of raw materials to their conception. These regulations should apply from 2025.
However, there is a lack of sophisticated technologies to dispose of all these garments and post-consumer waste, over 80% of which currently ends up in landfills or is incinerated. As a result, only 25% is recycled. The laws and the need for action are there, but there is still a lack of a mechanical or chemical solution.
How does Belda Llorén promote the circular economy?
Belda Lloréns implements the circular economy by converting used garments into textile fibers for new yarns and fabrics. This approach corresponds to the two main methods of circular economy: mechanical and chemical.
We prefer the mechanical method as it is cleaner and more sustainable, but also use post-consumed fibers from chemical conversions by manufacturers. This involves decontaminating old clothing by removing zippers, buttons and other accessories. They are then taken to companies such as RB Fibers or Recuperados LLacer, where we receive multicolored post-consumer fibers that, mixed with other sustainable fibers, are processed into yarns and fabrics. These contain a portion of the multi-colored remains of the used clothing.
What innovations and products do you offer?
At Belda Lloréns we have developed the “E-Circle” product, which combines multi-colored post-consumable materials such as BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) cotton and recycled polyester from textiles (not bottles). This approach minimizes the consumption of water and CO2. We plan to launch a palette of 6 to 7 colors for clothing, fashion and home textile companies, with the colors coming from the multi-color postal consumables.
The post-consumer fibers are limited in the reuse of open-end yarns and can only be used in new yarns up to a certain percentage.
This new product, E-Circle, is certified by the company BCome, a platform that informs and certifies us of the environmental impact regarding CO2, water and energy, both in terms of consumption and savings compared to the same new materials. We believe that we need to engage in this direction to be part of a solution for post-consumer waste management.
In addition to E-Circle, the multicolored post-consumer product, our color palette is also based on E-Denim, the post-consumer denim.
E-denim already existed, but will be included in this new circular economy-focused charter. With this, we will be able to offer a standardized product in stock so that people can include multi-colored post-consumer products or carry out a B2B circular economy project.
We already have customers focused on workwear, such as FRISTADS, CHAUDDEVANT and DIBELLA, with whom we work in the field of circular economy. These customers are mainly based in Northern Europe, where consumer awareness is greater than in the South.
In Spain, for example, we work with companies like Mayoral. We carry out B2B projects in the circular economy with this multicolored concept in our yarns: “Post-Consumer in Stock Service” .
What role do you see for textile companies, consumers and public administrations?
The transition to a circular economy requires the joint effort of companies, consumers and public administrations. Companies must offer sustainable and circular products like we do. At Belda Lloréns we can offer products that educate consumers about their certifications, traceability and environmental impact, identifiable via a QR code. We work with BCome, which uses the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s renowned methodology to certify the traceability and environmental impact of our yarns and therefore the fabric and the finished garment.
In addition, consumers must be informed and willing to purchase products that promote circularity and sustainability. They need to be made aware of these issues through education in schools and universities.
Finally, public administrations should promote policies and education for sustainable consumption. Another way to promote the reindustrialization of the sector would be for public administrations to support laws that require public administrations’ textile products, such as uniforms for the military, fire departments, hospitals, police and others, to be recycled and integrated into the circular economy Garments are converted. The idea is to buy the mentioned clothes locally that contain some of their own waste. This would significantly support the creation of jobs and the revitalization of the national and European textile industry.
Another way to promote the use of circular economy in textiles would be to classify textile products according to their environmental impact, with ratings from A to D (where D has the least and A the greatest environmental impact), similar to what is currently the case with food or washing machines, that measure energy consumption. This would be a useful tool for consumers when choosing a product based on carbon emissions or water consumption.
I am confident that we will strive to bring about change. In Spain, 20% of luxury textile consumers pay too much for a handbag or jacket. If we could achieve the same percentage with a sustainable consumer, that would make sense.
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