How 1.5 Million Plastic Bottles Are Turned Into Clothing Every Day | World Wide Waste

Summary

The video script narrates the transformation of plastic bottles into polyester fibers by Shree Renga, an Indian company, which recycles 1.5 million bottles daily. It explores the environmental benefits and challenges of using recycled polyester in fashion, highlighting the efforts of brands like Adidas and Nike to increase its use. The script delves into the recycling process, the history of synthetic fibers, and innovative technologies aiming to revolutionize textile recycling, emphasizing the growing importance of sustainable fashion.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Shree Renga, an Indian company, recycles 1.5 million plastic bottles into polyester daily, a process expected to triple in the next few years.
• 👕 Fashion brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein are increasing their use of recycled polyester to market their products as more sustainable.
• 🔁 The global production of plastic bottles is enormous, with 600 million produced yearly, but most are not recycled, highlighting the importance of companies like Shree Renga.
• 👔 The recycling process at Shree Renga is meticulous, separating PET from other materials and ensuring no waste, including using water from washing for other purposes.
• 🧬 PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, is a common plastic used in bottles and is chemically the same as polyester, making it ideal for fiber production.
• 🎨 Shree Renga uses dope-dyeing to color their polyester fibers, a process that doesn't require water or additional energy for coloring.
• ♻️ Recycling polyester is complex due to the need to separate it from other materials like cotton, spandex, chemicals, and dyes.
• 👚 Shree Renga launched its own clothing brand, Ecoline, in 2021, focusing on 100% recycled polyester garments.
• 🌐 The fashion industry's reliance on synthetic fibers like polyester is growing, with projections for it to make up nearly three-fourths of all textile production by 2030.
• 🔍 The environmental impact of synthetic fibers includes microplastics from washing, which contribute significantly to ocean pollution.
• 🔄 Innovative recycling technologies, such as the Looop by H&M and Ambercycle's chemical process, are being developed to recycle clothes back into clothes, though scaling up remains a challenge.

Q & A

What is the primary material used by Shree Renga to produce polyester?

Shree Renga primarily uses PET, which stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a common type of plastic derived from plastic bottles, to produce polyester.

How much polyester does Shree Renga produce daily?

Shree Renga spins about 25 metric tons of polyester on a daily basis.

What is the significance of Senthil quitting his IT job to join his father's business?

Senthil's decision to quit his IT job and join his father's business signifies his desire to be an entrepreneur in India and contribute to the recycling and sustainability efforts of Shree Renga.

What is the global production of plastic bottles annually, and how does Shree Renga contribute to recycling efforts?

Globally, about 600 million plastic bottles are produced every year, with most not being recycled. Shree Renga contributes by buying approximately 900 metric tons of trash each month, focusing on PET for their production.

How does Shree Renga ensure the purity of PET during the recycling process?

Shree Renga uses advanced sensing technologies to separate PET from other plastics like PVC. They also go through a meticulous process of washing, rinsing, and sorting the flakes to ensure purity.

What is the environmental advantage of Shree Renga's dyeing technique?

Shree Renga's dyeing technique, known as dope-dyeing, involves melting the plastic flakes with colored pigments, which allows them to produce colored fibers without using a single drop of water or additional energy for the coloring process.

How does the recycling process at Shree Renga's factory contribute to a circular economy?

The recycling process at Shree Renga's factory exemplifies a circular economy by ensuring that nothing is wasted. For instance, water used in the process is recycled, and even the dirt and sand collected from washing bottles are used to make bricks for the factory floor.

What is the role of the simplex machine in the production process at Shree Renga?

The simplex machine is used to stretch the fibers and make them more parallel, resulting in a more compact and uniform rope known as roving, which is ideal for spinning into yarn.

How does the recycling of polyester compare to the recycling of plastic bottles in terms of environmental impact?

Recycling polyester generates about 70% less emissions than producing virgin polyester. However, washing synthetic fibers can introduce microplastics into waterways, and if discarded improperly, they do not break down easily in the environment.

What is the current state of polyester recycling technology, and what are the challenges faced by the industry?

The current state of polyester recycling technology faces challenges such as the difficulty of separating polyester from dyes and other fabrics, the need for blending with virgin materials, and the high costs and energy use associated with restarting production machines. Moreover, scaling up the process for commercial use is a significant hurdle.

What is the significance of the Looop machine developed by H&M and the Hong Kong Research Institute?

The Looop machine is significant as it represents an innovative approach to garment-to-garment recycling, turning used clothes into new ones in about three days. It offers a potential solution for textile waste, although the current process is time-consuming and not yet scalable for mass production.

Outlines

00:00

🔁 Recycling Plastic Bottles into Polyester

The script discusses the transformation of plastic bottles into polyester by the Indian company Shree Renga, which recycles 1.5 million bottles daily. The company's goal is to triple this capacity in the coming years. Fashion brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein are increasingly incorporating recycled polyester into their products, promoting them as sustainable options. The process involves separating PET (polyethylene terephthalate) from other materials, cleaning, and converting it into polyester filaments without using water or additional energy. The founder's son, Senthil, has joined the business to contribute to sustainable entrepreneurship.

05:03

🧵 From Plastic Flakes to Fibers and Yarns

This paragraph details the process of converting recycled plastic flakes into usable fibers and yarns. The flakes are rinsed, dried, and then melted with pigments for coloring. The mixture is pushed through a spinneret to create colored fibers. The fibers are stretched, cleaned, and deposited into barrels. The continuous operation of the machines is emphasized due to the high costs of restarting them. The fibers are then routed through a draw line, treated with a starch-based lubricant to prevent static, and further processed to become crimped and ready for textile combination. The fibers are eventually cut, baled, and sent for spinning into yarns at Sri Kannattal Mills, where they undergo several processes to become a uniform roving and then yarn.

10:05

👕 The Evolution and Impact of Polyester in Fashion

The script outlines the historical development of polyester, from its invention by DuPont as a replacement for silk and cotton to its rise in popularity due to its affordability and practical properties. Polyester became a staple in the 1970s and 1980s, especially with the advent of fast-fashion brands. However, the environmental impact of polyester is also highlighted, including the contribution of microplastics to waterways and the difficulty of recycling mixed fabrics. The narrative introduces Shree Renga's Ecoline brand, which produces garments from 100% recycled polyester, and the company's commitment to sustainability and reducing textile waste.

15:05

🌐 Innovations in Textile Recycling and the Future of Fashion

The final paragraph explores current innovations in textile recycling, such as the Looop machine by H&M, which recycles garments in about three days, and Ambercycle's chemical process for separating polyester from dyes and other materials. The challenges of scaling up these technologies are discussed, along with the economic competition from virgin polyester. Despite the progress, the script notes that less than 1% of old clothes are recycled into new ones. The potential of fiber-to-fiber recycling and the need for greater investment in sustainable practices are emphasized, with Shree Renga positioning itself as a leader in sustainable fashion and recycling technologies.

Keywords

💡Polyester

Polyester is a type of polymer with high tensile strength used extensively in the textile industry. It is made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic. In the video, polyester is highlighted as a major material in clothing, with the Shree Renga company in India producing it from recycled plastic bottles, emphasizing its role in sustainable fashion.

💡Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into reusable materials and objects. The script discusses how Shree Renga recycles plastic bottles into polyester fibers, which are then used in the production of clothing. This process is a key part of the video's theme of sustainability and reducing waste.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the concept of using resources in a way that preserves the environment for future generations. The video showcases how fashion brands and companies like Shree Renga are striving to increase the use of recycled materials, such as polyester from plastic bottles, to create more sustainable clothing options.

💡Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

Polyethylene terephthalate, commonly known as PET, is a plastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibers. The script explains that PET is one of the most common types of plastic and is the primary material from which Shree Renga produces polyester fibers, illustrating the connection between plastic waste and textile production.

💡Dope-Dyeing

Dope-dyeing is a technique used in the textile industry where the fiber is colored during the extrusion process. The video mentions this technique when describing how Shree Renga colors their polyester fibers, emphasizing the efficiency of using colored pigments during the melting process without the need for water or additional energy.

💡Microplastics

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in length that are found in the environment. The script discusses the environmental impact of synthetic fibers, noting that washing them can introduce microplastics into waterways, highlighting a challenge in the pursuit of sustainable fashion.

💡Fiber-to-Fiber Recycling

Fiber-to-fiber recycling is a process where old textiles are turned back into new fibers for new garments. The video describes the efforts of companies like H&M and research institutes in developing technology to recycle used clothes into new ones, indicating a potential solution for textile waste.

💡Fast Fashion

Fast fashion refers to the rapid production of inexpensive clothing by mass-market retailers. The script mentions brands like Zara and H&M, which have contributed to the increase in polyester production and the environmental issues associated with it, such as microplastics and textile waste.

💡Shree Renga

Shree Renga is an Indian company that recycles plastic bottles into polyester fibers for the textile industry. The video highlights the company's innovative recycling process and its efforts to produce sustainable clothing, showcasing it as a model for environmentally conscious business practices.

💡Ecoline

Ecoline is Shree Renga's own recycled clothing brand launched in 2021. The script mentions that most pieces in this brand are made of 100% recycled polyester, demonstrating Shree Renga's commitment to sustainability and the market potential for recycled materials in fashion.

💡Sublimation Printing

Sublimation printing is a method of dyeing that uses heat to transfer dye onto synthetic materials. In the video, Shree Renga uses this technique to add designs to their polyester fabric, showing an application of technology in the production of sustainable clothing.

Highlights

Shree Renga in India can convert 1.5 million plastic bottles into polyester daily, a process expected to triple in the coming years.

Major fashion brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein are increasingly incorporating recycled polyester into their products, promoting sustainability.

K Sankar, the founder of Shree Renga, has dedicated decades to developing the technology for recycling plastic into usable polyester filaments.

Senthil, K Sankar's son, left a career in IT to join his father's business, aiming to be an entrepreneur in India and contribute to society through recycling.

Globally, 600 million plastic bottles are produced annually, with a significant portion not being recycled.

Shree Renga purchases about 900 metric tons of trash monthly, focusing on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for its recycling process.

Advanced sensing technologies are utilized at Shree Renga to separate PET from other plastics like PVC, ensuring purity for the final material.

Waste materials from the recycling process, such as dirt and sand, are repurposed to make bricks for factory decoration, embodying a zero-waste philosophy.

The transformation of PET flakes into fibers involves a series of mechanical processes including crushing, sieving, and float tank separation.

Dope-dyeing is a technique used by Shree Renga to color the polyester fibers, which is both water and energy-efficient.

Shree Renga's continuous operation is crucial as restarting the machines is costly and energy-intensive.

The draw line process at Shree Renga involves routing fibers through eyelets and rollers to create uniform strips for further processing.

Polyester fibers are made wavy through crimping to improve their blendability with other textiles like cotton.

Shree Renga's recycled clothing brand, Ecoline, launched in 2021, focuses on garments made from 100% recycled polyester.

The history of polyester dates back to the early 20th century with DuPont, highlighting its evolution from lab experiment to a mainstream fabric.

Despite the growth of recycled polyester, challenges remain, including microplastic pollution and the difficulty of recycling mixed materials.

Innovative recycling technologies, such as Hong Kong's fiber-to-fiber recycling machine, demonstrate potential but face scalability issues.

Shree Renga's commitment to sustainability is evident through certifications ensuring the responsible use of chemicals and effective recycling practices.

The potential of recycled polyester to reduce emissions by 70% compared to virgin polyester is significant for environmental sustainability.

Senthil's vision for Shree Renga is aligned with the growing importance of sustainability in the fashion industry, aiming to capitalize on the trend.

The endorsement of Shree Renga's product by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi signifies a milestone in the acceptance of recycled fashion.

Transcripts

Narrator: These filaments used to be plastic bottles,

and they're being turned

into polyester.

The fabric makes up more than half of all of our clothing,

and one company in India called Shree Renga

can turn about 1.5 million plastic bottles into polyester

in a single day.

Senthil: That is going to be almost more than tripled

in the next couple of years.

Narrator: Turns out, there's plenty of appetite for it.

More and more, fashion brands like Adidas, Nike, and Shein

are trying to increase the amount of polyester

made from recycled plastics in their lines,

often marketing them as more sustainable.

But why is so much of what we wear

made from plastic to begin with?

And how do you turn a bottle into clothing?

The Shree Renga company

spins about 25 metric tons of polyester on a daily basis.

The founder, K Sankar,

is proud of every filament his factory spins.

But it took him decades of trying to get here.

I felt like doing something to the society

by doing recycling.

Narrator: Today, he runs the business

alongside his son, Senthil,

who quit his job in IT to help his dad.

Senthil: I wanted to be an entrepreneur,

and I wanted to be an entrepreneur in India.

Narrator: Globally, we produce about 600 million

of these bottles every year,

and most of them are not recycled.

In India, waste pickers collect

and deposit them at sorting sites like this one,

where workers crush and bale them for sale.

Every month, Shree Renga buys about 900 metric tons of trash

from companies like this one.

But all it really wants is PET.

That's short for polyethylene terephthalate,

one of the most common types of plastic.

At Shree Renga's factory,

the first step to getting it

is separating the valuable bottles

from the caps, labels, and glue.

Mixing in other plastics could ruin the final material,

but getting to pure PET is pretty time-consuming.

Senthil: We have a lot of advanced sensing technologies,

which are used to separate PET, PVC, all the other plastics.

Narrator: Bottle caps are usually made from polypropylene,

a kind of plastic that Shree Renga doesn't recycle,

so they sell them to another company

that makes lead-acid battery cases.

And all of the dirt and sand they collect

from washing the bottles is pressed with ash

to make bricks that decorate the factory floor.

Then, machines crush the bottles into flakes.

Bagged flakes are then loaded onto trucks

and delivered to another part of the factory.

Here, they are crushed again and passed over a sieve shaker,

a machine that sorts the flakes by size,

making sure they're no larger than 14 millimeters.

Smaller particles falling to the shaker's bottom

are used again to make PET pellets.

But the flakes still aren't 100% separated.

After a quick rinse,

machines transfer them into a float tank.

Here, the PET will sink,

and other plastics can be skimmed off the top.

They're then washed 10 times

to remove any remaining dirt and glue.

Senthil: Nothing is wasted in this factory.

That water is again used back.

Narrator: The plastic is rinsed one final time,

leaving behind clear flakes,

which are dried and loaded into these sacks.

Now, it's time to turn them into fiber.

And PET is uniquely suited for this purpose.

It has long chains of molecules that hold tightly together,

creating lightweight, flexible, and strong materials.

The length of those molecular chains

determines whether the plastic is used

for things like bottles, packaging, or textiles.

Chemically, PET and polyester are the same thing.

Making fibers starts by melting the plastic flakes

with colored pigments,

a technique known as dope-dyeing.

The combined goop is then pushed through a spinneret,

a metal plate with hundreds of small holes

that can be adjusted for thickness.

When it melts and comes out, it comes in the colored form.

We don't use a single drop of water.

We don't use energy for our coloring process.

Narrator: Shree Renga currently makes

200 different colors of fiber.

As they exit, the filaments cool and dry.

After every use,

the plates are cleaned using high-frequency sound waves,

which create microscopic bubbles that collapse

and remove anything stuck to the spinneret.

The fibers are then stretched using a series of rollers,

which deposit them into these large buckets.

Shutting down and restarting these machines

is energy-intensive and expensive,

so they have to run nonstop throughout the day.

Senthil: If you have to stop,

then it takes a long time for us to reboot again.

Narrator: Workers weigh the drums

and bring them into this area called the draw line.

Here, 60 to 70 barrels are simultaneously routed

through a series of eyelets,

pulling them into parallel strips.

Polyester tends to hold static electricity,

so the fibers are dipped in a starch-based lubricant

to avoid sticking together.

Another series of rollers

makes them up to four times longer,

and yet another set of heated rollers stabilizes the fiber

into its stretched state.

This machine crimps the fibers,

giving them a wavy pattern

and making them easier to combine

with other textiles like cotton.

The finished fibers travel to the top of this platform,

where they are cut down to a manageable size.

Finally, they are compressed, baled, and shipped

to another company for further processing.

At Sri Kannattal Mills,

the fibers are spun into yarns using a series of machines.

First, workers load them into a bale opener,

which uses rollers and spiked drums to loosen the fiber.

They weigh the sheet

before loading it into a carding machine.

It pulls the fiber over wire-covered cylinders

that comb through tangles,

creating a thin web

that is then condensed into a loose rope called sliver.

These sliver strands are coiled into large cans.

Workers attach them to machines

that combine several of the ropes together.

Next, the slivers are run through something called a

simplex machine.

It uses a series of rollers rotating at different speeds

to stretch the fibers and make them more parallel.

The result is a more compact

and uniform rope known as roving,

which is ideal for spinning.

Workers feed the roving through a spinner

that twists it into yarn.

Finally, the strands are ring-spun onto bobbins.

Senthil and his father used these cones

to make their clothing,

but before PET was ever woven into T-shirts,

it started out as a lab experiment.

When scientists at the chemical company DuPont

developed the first synthetic fibers

in the early 20th century,

they were celebrated as major scientific achievements

that could replace silk and cotton.

Narrator: Before the breakthrough,

the US imported over 90% of its silk from Japan,

using it mostly to make stockings.

But all trades ceased during World War II,

collapsing the silk market.

After the war,

nylon stockings became a cheap, popular substitute.

Narrator: And in the 1950s,

polyester was built as a magical, man-made fabric

that wouldn't wrinkle.

Narrator: In the 1970s, it became cheaper than cotton,

and fashion brands embraced it.

The material was strong, flexible, easy to dye,

resistant to heat and stains, and quick to dry.

In the 1980s,

cotton was the world's most popular fiber.

But over the next few decades,

polyester came to dominate the industry

and is expected to keep growing,

with the majority of production

outsourced to Southeast Asia.

The popularity was fueled by fast-fashion brands like Gap,

H&M, Zara, and Forever 21.

In 2020,

the world produced enough polyester

to fill about 2.5 million garbage trucks.

Less than 15% of that

came from recycled material.

And one study showed

that a single truckload's worth of clothing

goes into a landfill or incinerator every second.

To bring that stat down,

more and more brands are working with recycled polyester

made from plastic bottles,

including Adidas, Nike, Zara, and even Shein.

In early 2024, more than 120 clothing companies

pledged to increase their use of recycled polyester.

Shree Renga launched its own recycled clothing brand in 2021

called Ecoline.

Most pieces are made of 100% recycled polyester,

but sometimes, they're mixed with cotton.

Senthil: So once the fiber was made,

making yarns and fabrics

and garments was just an extension.

Narrator: Everything is still made

in the same facilities.

Workers connect hundreds of bobbins to a machine

that weaves the yarn into sheets of fabric,

which then head to inspection.

Senthil: If there is some defect that is found,

it'll be marked with a marker.

And once that marker is seen in the cutting section,

they will cut that portion alone

and keep it aside as waste.

That again gets recycled.

Narrator: All of the fabrics they use are laid out,

marked, and cut into various shapes for garments.

To add a design, Shree Renga uses a sublimation printer.

And once the sheets are out,

we place them into panels in our heat transfer machine.

Narrator: This device applies heat and pressure

to transfer dyes directly onto the polyester.

The company sells 400,000 garments a year

and plans to triple production by 2026.

Senthil: We are boldly betting on this,

expanding our capacities,

thinking that the future is going to be sustainable fashion.

And we want to be well placed when that wave comes.

Narrator: In 2023, the family received a huge boost

after India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi,

wore one of their vests, known as a sadri.

I was literally in tears.

My product is worn by the prime minister of the country.

Something wonderful.

Senthil: It's something to convince someone

to wear something out of trash.

And that we've been able to do with Ecoline.

Narrator: Clothes made from recycled polyester

are often advertised as good for the environment,

but they still come with an impact.

Washing any synthetic fiber can introduce microplastics

less than 5 millimeters in length

into our waterways.

Some studies suggest that synthetic fibers contribute

more than a third of all microplastics in the ocean.

And if it ends up in a landfill, river, or ocean,

it won't break down.

To top it off, recycling polyester

isn't as easy as recycling a plastic bottle.

Polyester is often mixed with things like cotton, spandex,

chemicals, and dyes that must be separated before recycling.

The cheapest and simplest method for recycling clothing

involves shredding it,

but that creates shorter fibers

that need to be blended with virgin ones

to make new clothes.

So they are typically downcycled into carpets

and stuffing for insulation.

In 2020, a research institute in Hong Kong

started experimenting with fiber-to-fiber recycling.

It partnered with H&M to make this machine,

which turns used clothes into new ones in about three days.

First, a technician like Emily Shao examines the garment.

Emily: So today we will recycle an old garment.

Narrator: This ozone chamber

sanitizes the fabric in about an hour.

Then, Emily removes the buttons, labels, and zippers

and cuts the garment so the fabric is easy to work with.

The shredder strips the bits of cloth down further.

Emily: And then I will take out the opened fabrics.

Narrator: But this part of the process

does require some new materials.

Emily: So we will add some virgin fibers

into the yarn to make it stronger.

Narrator: Another machine mixes that cotton

with a recycled skirt.

Emily then rolls the mixed fibers into clumps

and feeds them into a machine

that turns them into what's called a fiber web.

The fiber web gets bundled into these snakelike slivers.

The slivers are then spun into ply yarn,

the building blocks for any new garment.

Finally, a machine knits a new sweater

based on a computer design.

Shoppers pay about $65 to recycle clothing here.

How do we help consumers

think about their clothes differently?

Well, that's one of the reasons

why we have a glass box doing research in a shopping mall.

Narrator: The H&M Foundation

partnered with the Hong Kong Research Institute

of Textiles and Apparel.

That investment allowed the company to license

and install the technology at one of its stores in Stockholm,

where the company's headquartered.

H&M calls it the Looop.

Here, shoppers pay only $18

to see the recycling process in action.

That's about the price of a new pair

of the brand's sweatpants.

Virginia: That's how it comes out.

And then this is the only part that has to be removed.

Narrator: Virginia, the technician,

trims the extra yarn, and the garment is ready to go.

It seems like a perfect solution,

but it takes three days to recycle just one garment.

A factory like this

that can recycle thousands of tons of clothes a day

doesn't exist yet.

But H&M says that eventually,

this kind of technology could be a global solution

for textile waste.

Pascal: The holy grail is garment-to-garment recycling,

and that's for me where, today,

most of our investment going to.

Narrator: And other large companies

are making similar bets.

Gap and Zara's parent company, Inditex,

recently made major investments in an American company

called Ambercycle.

The company developed a chemical process

to separate polyester from dyes and other fabrics,

eliminating the need for virgin materials.

The idea for Ambercycle is really just,

how do you take an old T-shirt

and turn it into a new T-shirt,

instead of using natural resources?

The most difficult thing is scaling up the process

from pilot plant scale,

to tens of thousands of T-shirts.

That successive scale-up is really hard.

Narrator: It's especially hard

when virgin polyester is so much cheaper

and easier to use than new recycling technology.

Less than 1% of old clothes are recycled to new clothes,

so we don't actually have large,

or I would say, commercial-scale technology for recycling.

Narrator: Meanwhile,

fast-fashion shows no signs of slowing down,

and it's expected synthetic fibers

could make up nearly three-fourths

of all textile production by 2030.

Urška: Brands in the industry wider needs to invest more

into fiber-to-fiber recycling.

But at the same time,

we need to realize

that this is not a silver bullet, you know?

Narrator: Recycled polyester generate about 70% less emissions than virgin.

And Shree Renga has several certifications,

ensuring it limits the use of harmful chemicals

and actually recycles the trash it buys.

From the end product,

you can trace everything back to the origin.

And we wanted that to be the core ethos of our brand,

and we positioned it that way.

Narrator: Some advocates say it's better

to just recycle bottles into new bottles,

since that can be done around 11 times.

But less than 10% of all plastic

actually makes it to a recycling center.

So for now, Senthil and his dad

are happy to save any plastic they can

from landfills or the oceans,

even if it's only temporary.

Senthil: For us, when you make it into a garment,

it takes a longer time for it to reach the dustbin.

Narrator: Though there's a lot of work to be done,

he thinks Shree Renga is well positioned

to make the most out of plastic trash.

Senthil: Whether it's recycling or renewable energy,

this is the year of sustainability.

And I think we are in the right space.