Scientists in Sweden have developed what they claim is the world’s first garment made entirely from recycled cotton: a yellow dress that looks no different from the fashion range at H&M or Zara. “The scalability of this process is enormous,” says Henrik Norlin, Business Development Manager at Re:newcell, the company that made the pioneering material. “The technology allows us to recycle all materials that contain cellulose.” The Swedish cotton recycling scores particularly well as it uses no new ingredients other than timber, whose cellulose fibres can be added to the existing cotton ones. Some clothing manufacturers, including Levi’s, already incorporate discarded clothing into new items.
“We can recycle fabrics that contain a mix of cotton and other materials but get the best results when recycling pure cotton,” says Norlin. Re:newcell is now preparing to build its first fabric-recycling factory, which will open its doors within the next 18 months.
