Primark, the clothes retailer, has introduced its first product line that was created with the intention of being ‘reloved or recycled.’
The product line reportedly contains goods that are more durable; some in the textile recycling industry have previously said that fast-fashion clothing isn’t of high enough quality to be reused.
Customers of the business will be able to purchase new circular product collections beginning in mid-April according to Primark’s new Circular Product Standard. The Standard, which is to be utilised by Primark’s product teams and suppliers, is a framework for how the company aims to create items both now and in the future. It supports the company’s goal of having its clothes worn for as long as possible before being recycled.
On the new products, consumers have been told, “From stylish wide leg denim and relaxed fit jeans to transitional denim overshirts and relaxed-fit t-shirts, this is a collection of spring/summer wardrobe heroes to mix and match, knowing that they can be recycled into new clothes and materials when they reach the end of their life.”
At least 95% of the cotton used in the collection comes from the Primark Sustainable Cotton Project, which educates cotton farmers on how to grow cotton more profitably by using less water, chemical fertilisers, and pesticides. The remaining 5% consists of trims, decorations, or buttons that, whenever possible, have been created to be detachable or recyclable.
According to the new enhanced durability wash standard from Primark, this new collection has undergone testing for increased durability.
Every component is made to be recyclable when its life cycle is complete. This means that, whenever possible, trimmings and buttons can be taken off the things to make them easier to reuse or recycle into new products or fibres.
Speaking about the new collection, Nicholas Lambert, circular product lead at Primark commented, “This collection brings together years of work to create a new framework, with the ambition of enabling our product teams and suppliers to create more circular products that are designed with the end in mind. This has led to the creation of our first circular collection of affordable wardrobe staples that customers can rewear, repair and ultimately recycle.”
