Polyester
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Polyester is the world's most widely used fiber, prized for its strength, affordability, and versatility. It is a man-made plastic derived from petroleum, and its ubiquity comes with a heavy environmental toll.
The problem with conventional polyester is its origin in fossil fuels and its end-of-life fate as a non-biodegradable plastic. Every time it's washed, it sheds microplastics that pollute our oceans and enter our food chain. The vast majority of discarded polyester garments will sit in landfills for hundreds of years. The most common form of recycling, bottle-to-fiber rPET, is a one-way street that does not solve the textile waste crisis. Furthermore, this process can lead to the unneeded breakdown of plastic, which can contribute to microfiber pollution.
The most effective solution is textile-to-textile recycling, which creates a true closed-loop system for clothing. We champion brands that are investing in innovative technologies from companies like Circ and Ambercycle to turn old clothes into new fibers. We also support recycled polyester from recovered ocean plastics from companies like Bionic Yarn and verified rPET from brands like REPREVE®. We also see promise in CO2 Polyester and in additives like CiCLO®, which are designed to help with the end-of-life problem.
At Circular People, we have banned virgin polyester and only use recycled polyester from textile-to-textile recycling. Our most important rule is to avoid non-circular inputs. Because polyester can last for hundreds of years in a landfill, we believe it should be used, not wasted, as we work to find solutions for the future. Polyester is a highly circular fiber when handled correctly; it can be mechanically or chemically recycled into new yarn, and its durability allows garments to last for decades. We are actively researching innovative inputs like CiCLO® that are designed to help the material biodegrade.
Check out our Field Log for a deeper dive into this fiber.