The Fabric of Our Lives: How to Choose Better Polyester

Polyester is the most widely used fiber on the planet, a synthetic that gives our clothes strength, affordability, and wrinkle resistance. However, the convenience of this plastic fabric comes at a high environmental cost that we can no longer ignore. Virgin polyester is made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and is inherently tied to the fossil fuel industry. While recycled polyester (rPET) offers a clear advantage by diverting plastic waste from landfills and oceans, it presents its own set of challenges. The vast majority of rPET comes from bottles, not textiles, creating an "open-loop" system that does not address the massive issue of textile waste. Furthermore, rPET still sheds microplastics at the same rate as virgin polyester and is often difficult to recycle back into a new garment, often leading to "downcycling."

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 also actively research innovative inputs like CiCLO® that are designed to help the material biodegrade.

The True Cost of Conventional Polyester

Conventional polyester starts as petroleum, a non-renewable fossil fuel. Its entire journey, from production to a garment's end of life, is problematic:

• Plastic Pollution: Every time you wash a polyester garment, it sheds thousands of tiny plastic fibers, known as microplastics. These fibers pollute our rivers and oceans, where they are ingested by marine life and can enter our food and water systems.

• Non-Biodegradable: As a plastic, polyester is not biodegradable. A polyester garment can sit in a landfill for hundreds of years, making textile waste a major environmental crisis.

• The Problem with Bottle-to-Fiber: While recycled polyester made from plastic bottles (rPET) is a way to use plastic waste, it creates an "open-loop" system. This process diverts plastic from a well-established recycling stream (bottles-to-bottles) and moves it into textiles, where it often becomes difficult to recycle again.

A Truly Circular Solution: Textile-to-Textile Recycling

The most promising and truly sustainable solution for polyester is a closed-loop, textile-to-textile system. This is a revolutionary process that takes old polyester clothing and recycles it directly into new, high-quality polyester. This approach actually eliminates textile waste and prevents a valuable resource from being downcycled or sent to a landfill.

• Textile-to-Textile Recycling: Look for brands working with innovators like Ambercycle (Cycora®) or Circ, who use advanced technology to break down old clothes and turn them into new, high-quality polyester.

• Ocean Plastic: While we don't believe in using recycled plastic bottles for textiles, we do support the use of rPET made from plastic recovered from our oceans, an approach pioneered by companies like Bionic Yarn.

• Bio-Based Alternatives: New developments are creating polyester from renewable resources like corn or even from captured CO2 emissions.

• Additives for Degradation: Innovators like CiCLO® are developing additives that are embedded in the fiber to help polyester break down faster in certain environments, such as landfills, helping to mitigate the landfill problem.

End of Life and Circularity

The most sustainable path for any polyester garment is to make it last.

• Buy Recycled: Prioritize products made from certified recycled polyester from textile-to-textile recycling. Look for the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) or Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) labels to ensure the material is authentic.

• Wash Mindfully: To reduce microplastic shedding, wash your polyester garments less often, use a cold-water cycle, and consider using a microplastic-catching filter or laundry bag (like a Guppyfriend bag).

• Don't Throw It Away: Never put old clothing in the trash. The success of a textile-to-textile system depends on consumers returning their old garments to be recycled. Take unwearable polyester garments to a brand or municipal textile recycling drop-off.

By being a conscious consumer, you can help steer the industry toward a more sustainable future for this essential fiber.