RECYCLING GOES BROADER

While fabrics have long been constructed from PET plastic bottles, wool and cotton textiles sourced from the fashion industry are now being recycled into drapery and upholstery. But there’s more. “Experimental compositions using banana peels and seaweed are also being developed,” says Lucy Ovenden from James Dunlop Textiles, “as well as fully biodegradable synthetic textiles which can be composted and returned to the earth at the end of their life.” Hannah Irvine from Warwick Fabrics says all fabric houses are looking closely at sustainability. She believes the focus locally should turn to basics such as transporting goods to the end user with minimal environmental impact and thinking about the end-of-life cycle.