How We Turn Fishing Nets Into Activewear

 

 

 

 

Here at dk active we are always striving towards becoming more sustainable, more eco-friendly and more supportive of this planet that we are so lucky to inhabit.

With the fashion industry contributing significant amounts of waste to landfill (in the way of 500,000 tonnes per year in Australia alone), we are mindful of how we can reduce this impact, whilst also educating our community at the same time.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the ways we stay mindful of this waste is by utilizing recycled nylon to make many of our garments. You may already own some of these and perhaps were not even aware of the origins of your activewear! 

We work with an incredible company called ECONYL® whose mission is to reduce the amount of nylon waste (think fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet offcuts, industrial plastic et cetera) that gathers in landfill or in the ocean. And they have a simple four step process for turning this trash into treasure.

 

RESCUE
The first step is to rescue waste from landfill and oceans all over the world. This waste is then sorted and cleaned so that as much nylon as possible can be used.


REGENERATE
Through radical regeneration and purification process, the nylon is converted back to its original purity, meaning that this nylon holds the same qualities as it did in its original state!


REMAKE 
The newly regenerated nylon is processed into textile yarn for reuse in the fashion and interior industries.

 

REIMAGINE
This is where dk active comes in. We source the nylon from ECONYL®, once it reaches our HQ in Brisbane, it gets cut and sewn, under the one roof. 

 

Not only does this sustainable resource reduce strain on the environment by lessening landfill, it also helps to reduce the global warming impact of nylon by 80%, as well as avoiding the 57,100 tonnes of carbon emissions that utilising new resources would incur. This regenerated nylon has the capacity to be recycled infinitely, whilst still retaining its quality and integrity. This means that ECONYL® are working towards a closed-loop cycle of reducing landfill for generations to come.

 

With each collection we release, we include more pieces made with ECONYL®. Our approach to sustainability has not been an overnight revolution but a continuous evolution where we are constantly challenging ourselves to do better. Our fabrics are sourced from manufacturers who reduce their carbon footprint as well as use extensive water recycling methods to keep waterways free of pollutants used in the fabric dying process. 

 

Once we receive the fabrics, we mesh as many possible garments into each cut so that minimal offcuts are produced. Our fabric offcuts are used to test machines, donated to TAFEs/fashion colleges or used to stuff boxing bags! The cut garments are then sewn, quality controlled, packed and shipped all from under the one roof in Brisbane! We typically generate more power than we use, and you can check out our consumption online here (sometimes it takes 30 seconds for the live feed to update!). 

 

So if you’re committed to keeping your closet sustainable, check out our range of recycled nylon activewear and swimwear here


References

  • https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-28/the-price-of-fast-fashion-rivers-turn-blue-tonnes-in-landfill/8389156
  • https://www.econyl.com/the-process/