Material Guide: Econyl®
By Lena Milton
Nylon is everywhere these days, from ropes to carpets to clothing. However, it has an astoundingly negative impact on the environment and is not a sustainable fabric choice. A promising alternative to nylon is Econyl®, a regenerated nylon fabric created entirely from waste, rather than oil (like Nylon). Giulio Bonazzi, CEO of Aquafil, the company that produces Econyl®, says, “When I see a landfill, I see a goldmine.”
Econyl®is produced using old carpets, fishing nets, recycled clothing, and “pre-consumer waste,” plastic byproducts from industrial production processes. Because the fabric is made from waste, Econyl®can be recycled over and over again. Econyl®is truly the future of sustainable fashion, and provides us with a wonderful example of how the fashion industry can embrace a circular economy. Before discussing the benefits of Econyl® as a nylon alternative, this guide explains what nylon is and it’s negative environmental impacts.
Photo: Tanya Pro
What is Nylon?
Nylon is a fabric material made from plastic derived from crude oil. Thus, the main ingredient in nylon is petroleum oil. The plastic is then put through a production process that turns it into a stretchy, highly useful fabric. Nylon is an extremely widely used fabric, and has even replaced silk in many instances, such as stockings, due to its wide availability. In fact, 600,000 metric tons of nylon was produced worldwide in 2019. The amount of nylon used each year has been increasing since its creation in the 1930s, when nylon became the first fully synthetic material ever made.
Nylon is popular because it is lightweight, strong, and highly absorbent and quick drying. While nylon was first used to create toothbrush bristles, today it’s most often used to create carpets. It is also used to create fishing nets and other products. Nylon is most frequently used in clothing in combination with another fabric, like polyester or spandex. You can find nylon in many types of clothing, including swimwear, activewear, sleepwear, hosiery, and dresses.
Nylon’s Environmental Impact
Unfortunately, nylon is extremely environmentally unfriendly. First of all, nylon production contributes to global warming, as producing nylon emits nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas. Nylon production is also reliant on petroleum harvesting, which releases fossil fuels, contributing to global warming, and reduces a finite resource. Unlike other non-synthetic fabrics, Nylon is not biodegradable and contributes a large amount of waste to landfills. Nylon waste, such as fishing nets or nylon bags, may also end up polluting the ocean.
Photo: Econyl.com
The Solution: Benefits of Econyl®
Aquafil created Econyl® in 2011, although the company has been recycling nylon since the 1990s. In 2007, they began looking into creating a closed loop for nylon fabric, meaning that not only is the fabric able to be recycled, but it is made from recycled materials in the first place. Econyl has the same high quality, durability and stretch as conventional nylon, and adheres to all of the same quality and testing standards as conventional nylon. However, because it is able to be recycled and does not depend on oil for production, it is much more environmentally sustainable. As the fashion industry looks to become more sustainable, we expect Econyl® and other recycled nylons to become dominant on the scene.
Photo: Ratih Mandalawangi
Benefits of Econyl® include:
Econyl® reduces the amount of crude oil we use. For every 10,000 tons of Econyl® material, we save 70,000 barrels of crude oil.
Econyl® reduces carbon emissions. For every 10,000 tons of Econyl® material, we avoid 61,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
When compared to conventional nylon made from oil, Econyl® reduces the global warming impact of nylon by 90%.
Econyl® can be fully recycled to create new fabric.
Econyl® uses waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or the ocean.
The fabric is durable, stretchy, and just as useful as conventional nylon.
The fabric can be used in a wide variety of applications, from bathing suits to handbags.
Econyl® in the Fashion World
Many sustainable fashion brands have started using Econyl® to create their products. These include menswear brand ZLCopenhagen and activewear company Adidas. Luxury fashion designer Stella McCartney also uses Econyl® in outerwear and purse linings. Most of the brands that use Econyl® produce swimwear and activewear lines. For example, Mara Hoffman creates all their swimwear using Econyl®.
Photo: Mara Hoffman
Econyl® is not the only recycled nylon out there, and many companies use recycled nylon from other sources. The U.S. outdoors-wear company Patagonia uses recycled nylon, as does shoe company Veja.