Fashion designers are starting to notice one resource that is taking the textile industry by storm: ECONYL® yarn, made from 100-percent regenerated nylon. Many designers and startups are excited about the idea of using sustainable ingredients for their own collections, and they are choosing ECONYL yarn both for its environmental features and the story behind the product.
In April 2016, Levi Strauss Co. became the first denim brand to use ECONYL yarn when it incorporated the fiber into a new men’s collection. Finding alternatives to water-intensive raw materials such as cotton is a critical component of the company’s shift to a circular economy, and ECONYL yarn is helping to bring this vision to life.
Now, Gucci has become the first fashion luxury brand to adopt ECONYL yarn by purchasing fabric made of the proprietary material for men’s outerwear. “Gucci is at the forefront of sustainable good practices, and the high quality of ECONYL yarn is able to replace the traditional material in Gucci’s luxury fabrics without any compromise in quality,” said Giulio Bonazzi, CEO of Aquafil, the company that makes ECONYL. “Gucci would never accept something below its superior standards.”
According to an article featured on Observer, the use of ECONYL yarn in Gucci products “isn’t just another artistic expression from creative director Alessandro Michele, but rather an attempt for the brand to further its sustainable footprint.”
Today, more than 50 textile brands such as Levi Strauss, Outerknown, Adidas, Speedo, Gucci, and more are using ECONYL yarn in their products, and inspiring other designers to follow suit.
ECONYL yarn is the only commercially available ingredient made of 100-percent regenerated material with at least 50 percent of it being post-consumer waste. Best of all, this regenerated nylon has no loss of quality from virgin material. The ECONYL Regeneration System by Aquafil turns old nylon waste into new products. Through the Healthy Seas Initiative, Aquafil partners with local divers to recover old fishing nets and other ghost gear that trap and kill marine life in the oceans. Aquafil also collects and shears the face fiber of spent carpets and uses other nylon waste to create ECONYL yarn.
