Recycling, downcycling and upcyling
Recycled materials can be used in the production of new yarn to be woven into fibre. Textiles can be made from recycled materials such as PET bottles, or from textile offcuts being manufactured into yarn for weaving or knitting into cloth.
As most textiles are recyclable, there are opportunities to consider the use for items at the end of their life.
Upcycling –
Upcycling means to take a lower quality or waste product and use its materials to make a product of higher value. It may involve the use of pre-consumer waste such as fabric offcuts, or post-consumer waste such as used garments.
Downcycling -
Downcycling refers to recycling a material into a lower value product. Examples include recycling used garments into non-woven textiles, building insulation, rags, or carpet underlay.
Questions:
Can garments be designed for ease of recycling?
How can the forthcoming lives of a garment be planned for?
Can the garment be downcycled into other products?
Can the textiles be upcycled into higher quality products?
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