One million plastic bottles are bought every minute around the world and by 2021 this figure is expected to increase by 20%.

One of the biggest problems with plastic production is that it requires the use of non-renewable fossil fuels responsible for greenhouse gas emissions and climate changes. Plastic bottles are made from a petroleum product known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Moreover, fossil fuels are used during the entire lifespan of a bottle, from its transportation, storage to its final disposal.

Another problem with plastic is that most of it is not biodegradable only degraded. Biodegrading is when an object gets broken down (digested) by living organisms. Through decomposers like bacteria and fungi, an object can be naturally recycled into new organic molecules. On the other hand, degrading is just the process of breaking down into smaller pieces.

It can take up to 1000 years for a plastic bottle to degrade. But because it does not biodegradable, the smaller pieces of plastic (aka microplastics) will remain in our environment forever.

Even nowadays, many plastic bottles end up being improperly disposed. They either rest stagnant in landfills, releasing toxic chemicals into the environment or they remain on our streets as litter. Eventually, most plastic that is littered ends up in the ocean. Even plastic disposed far from an ocean, sooner or later gets blown or washed (by rain) into a body of water moving with drainage networks or rivers thus ending up into the ocean.

Animals like birds, fish or other sea animals can mistake plastic for food. Once plastic is ingested by an organism, it can move up along the food chain. Plastic ingestion could cause a large number of long-term negative consequences even to humans.

So what can we do with all those plastic bottles?

Duvalli spotted REPREVE® as an opportunity for product innovation, build brand value and revenue and boost our appeal to eco-conscious consumers by cobbling together uncompromised performance with trusted sustainability.

REPREVE® is the leading, most trusted, branded performance fibre made from recycled materials (including plastic bottles). It consists of finding a new life for recycled materials. Also, compared to a virgin fibre, REPREVE® production offsets using new petroleum, emitting fewer greenhouse gases and saving water and energy.

REPREVE® is embedded with performance properties: moisture management, thermal regulation, odour control and resiliency for a reliable and durable quality.