Plastic waste, primarily from PET bottles, is the primary contributor to the enormous amounts of trash that are produced all over the world. PET, which is a petro chemically synthesized polymeric substance, poses a significant risk to the environment due to the fact that it does not biodegrade and contributes to the contamination of land, water, and air. In its chemical form, PET is known as polyethylene terephthalate. It is a type of polyester that may be extruded or molded into plastic bottles and containers for the purpose of packaging food, beverages, and consumer products.
PET is an extremely popular material that is currently considered to be the best option for usage in the packaging industry due to its clear appearance, low weight, high strength, and affordable price. Waste PET containers that have been used up are typically discarded and thrown away as garbage. The hazard posed by such PET bottle rubbish can be mitigated in a number of different methods, the most effective of which are reduction, reuse, and recycling. However, due to the numerous consumer-friendly usage benefits and cost-effectiveness, the ‘Reduction’ in consumption looks least likely. On the other hand, the production of PET is continuously expanding due to the growing demand for it. Even while the so-called “Reuse” of PET material is quite common in developing nations, the scope of such reuse is restricted. As a result, “Recycling” used PET bottles is the one and only approach to combat this danger effectively.
The recycling of PET bottles makes it possible to preserve natural resources such as fossil fuels, lowers emissions of greenhouse gasses, reduces the carbon footprint, and opens new opportunities for businesses. The PET waste is turned into r-PET, which stands for recycled PET, and is then used in the production of clothing. It has been discovered that both apparel brands and consumers who are interested in fashion are eager and excited to test out garments that are manufactured from waste PET bottles. In addition, as the price of petroleum continues to rise, the production of r-PET as an alternative to virgin PET becomes more economically viable. The pattern that has emerged thus far suggests that the amount of PET waste that is recycled will reach 25 million tons by the year 2025.
PET bottles are cleaned, dried, and then broken into little chips before being reused. A spinneret is used to make strings of yarn out of heated chips, which are then fed through the opening. After that, the yarn is put through a crimping machine so that it has a more fluffy appearance. After being balled, the yarn is then coloured before being knitted into a polyester cloth.
Reference:
Athalye, Ashok. “Garbage to Garment.” Fibre2fashion.com, Fibre2Fashion, 20 June 2022, https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/9413/garbage-to-garment.
