Humanity and the earth are out of balance at the moment. The clothing industry is after the oil industry the most polluting industry, something has to change.

By creating a new system based on knitwear and re-usable rPET yarn, I as a fashion designer can help reduce the ecological footprint of the Fashion Industry. With this new system, there is a product that you can use and reform endlessly. 

 

This system consists of two key elements: the recycled yarn and the fact that the garments are knitted. The yarn is made from recycled PET bottles, extremely strong, colourful and shiny. Normally it is used to reinforce car tires. This yarn is so strong that it is infinitely re-usable. Instead of melting and re-making it into a new yarn, this yarn is re-usable straight away. Unlike normal PET which can be recycled around 5 times, this special rPET yarn can be used endlessly. Because the garments are knitted, they exist of one yarn that loops together. This makes it very easy to unravel the garment by just pulling at the end of the yarn. A new piece of clothing can be knitted straight away. Knitting costs 20 times less energy compared to weaving. Besides that, with knitwear it is easier to produce zero waste garments, without having to do concessions on the shape.

 

The garments are designed in such a way, that they can be de-constructed and re-constructed. The yarn can then be used again to make new clothing. So one moment you can have a sweater and the next you can have a skirt of that exact same yarn. Still as strong, colourful and shiny as before. This remaking of garments can be done for eternity, with the exact same yarn that is used for the first garment made of it. But all of this, without harming the environment.

 

This new way of producing re-usable knitwear can be an entry for a sustainable wardrobe. Consumers can still have their fast fashion, but without harming the environment. “BIOPHILIA” is the first collection following this system. The collection shows the possibilities of the system in combination with beautiful knitwear that you just fall in love with.