Fashion for Good launches pilot to make plastic bags more circular

Amsterdam-based sustainable fashion platform Fashion for Good has launched a new pilot project with the goal of developing a circular solution for plastic bags.

The Circular Polybag Pilot, which is slated to begin in early 2020 and will run for around three to five months, has been launched in partnership with major names in the fashion industry including Adidas, C&A, Kering, Otto Group and PVH Corp., and uses patented technology from Spanish-based innovator Cadel Deinking.

The technology deinks and removes adhesives from post-consumer polybag waste to produce high-quality Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) pellets which can then be used to manufacture new polybags. Pilot partners in the project will supply the waste after collecting it from brand distribution centres and retail stores. Once the pellets are produced, the parent company of Cadel, Gaviplas, will manufacture them into new polybags that can re-enter the supply chain.

Stefan Krantz, head of group services at the Otto Group, said in a statement: “We are pleased to be part of the Circular Polybag Pilot and to seek sustainable solutions together with other companies and strong partners in the apparel industry. We can only make a real difference and make a big contribution to sustainability with a closed-loop model that saves resources.”

The Circular Polybag Pilot is the first pilot in a programme of activities initiated by Fashion for Good focusing on scalable solutions that address the issue of plastics in the fashion industry.

Approximately 180 billion plastic bags are produced every year to store, transport and protect garments, footwear and accessories, while less than 15 percent of polybags in circulation are collected for recycling, according to Fashion For Good.

To emphasise the current issues with polybags across the fashion industry, Fashion for Good has also collaborated with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition to produce a white paper titled “Polybags in the Fashion Industry: Evaluating the Options” in which it details five steps that brands can work on to reduce their impact.

Photo credit: Fashion For Good