Recycled Clothing is a World Cup Winner!

[Gerry Sherwood]

As preparations for the Catwalk show at Recycling & Waste Management 2010 gather momentum it seems that we are not the only ones looking to promote the growing trend of
textile recycling.

Nine nations including Brazil, Portugal and Holland are currently waiting to stride out onto the pitches of this year’s World Cup in shirts made from recycled plastic bottles! (see Guardian story)

Each Nike shirt is made from up to eight recycled plastic bottles sourced from Japanese and Taiwanese landfill, which is melted down before being
processed into fabric. And while the material of the new shirts will
help to keep players cool and dry, the process used to make them is
also better for the environment cutting energy use by 30% compared with newly manufactured polyester, according to Nike.

Stay ahead of the textile recycling game with a visit to our very own Catwalk show at this year’s RWM, where we will also be celebrating the increasingly creative reuse and recycling of fabrics. Supported by textile recyclers including the Salvation Army Trading Company, Chris Carey Collections, BCR Global Textiles and I&G Cohen, the Catwalk will showcase the work of some the best young designers currently working with recycled textiles.

RWM takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 14-16 September 2010. Find out more at www.rwmexhibition.com