Let’s Talk Trash!
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©2016 The Keenan Group, Inc
Would you wear Jeans made from recycled plastic bottles? As reported (with some edits) , Mar. 13, 2013 at 8:44 AM Herb Weisbaum NBC News
“It’s good for people and better for the planet,” said Jonathan Kirby, vice president of men’s design at Levi Strauss. In 2013 Levi Strauss announced its plan to turn about 3.5 million recycled bottles and other plastic waste into soft, high-quality denim. They don’t look like they’re made from trash – and that’s the whole idea behind Levi’s new Waste “You can actually see the recycled material in the garments themselves.” Is this really good for the earth? The recycling of plastic bottles has increased dramatically during the last few years. The International Bottled Water Association recently reported that 39 percent of the plastic water bottles in the United States were recycled in 2011. That’s up from 32 percent the year before. Of course, something has to be done with all of this waste plastic before recycling truly takes place. It must be made into new products, such as plastic lumber, carpets, new containers or clothing. Environmentalists call this “closing the loop.” “It’s a great way to make sure there’s an end market for recovered materials,” said Darby Hoover, senior resource specialist with the Natural Resources Defense Counsel. “When consumers put plastic bottles into the recycling bins, this helps ensure that there’s a market for them to actually get turned into useful products.”[sic] So what does denim made with trash look at feel like? Levi’s sent a pair to wear for a few days, and the recipients were asked to feel the material. Most described it as “smooth”or “soft.” They were completely surprised when they were told there was recycled plastic in the denim and they all wanted to know more. One person asked if the plastic in the jeans would melt if ironed or thrown in the dryer. The company assured that they would not. A long-term commitment to the environment This is not the first environmental initiative for Levi’s. The company’s Water-Less manufacturing technique introduced in 2011 reduces the water used in the finishing process of some products by as much as 96 percent. “We don’t just want to reduce our impact on the environment, we want to leave it better than we found it,” said James Curleigh, global president of Levi’s brand in a statement. Source: http://www.today.com/money/would-you-wear-these-jeans- made-recycled-plastic-bottles-1C8841977 Current update: Water is just one example of the resource constraints we are facing across the planet. Looking into the future, there’s no guarantee that there will enough land available to meet global demand for cotton, the main input for jean apparel. To be a successful company in a world that is increasingly resource- constrained, they need to continue down the road toward achieving closed-loop apparel — while incorporating other alternatives to virgin raw materials. This is why Levi’s® launched their Waste
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