Table of Contents
Naming and History
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the term “recycle” means sorting and collecting rubbish or wasted material to be transformed into something new and used for a different purpose. In other words, it means giving things a second life.
If 20 years ago differentiating waste was a new thing for us and we had just been introduced to the recycle of paper and plastic water bottles, today major progresses have been made. We are in fact used to separate rubbish, discovering that almost everything can be recycled thanks to the research and development investments in this field.
Despite all the innovative solutions found, the recycling process is not always as easy as it is usually depicted. Switching to a complete sustainable production and business model where all products are recycled takes time and efforts since there are many factors involved.
Why Recycling is so important ?
To better understand because it is so important, we must take a step back and have a look at the entire context. It’s not a surprise that the clothing and textile industry is the second largest polluter in the world after oil, while also being responsible for most of the global waste: in 2018 around 11,300 tons of apparel went into landfills
One of the main reasons causing this problem is that waste happens in both sides of the system. On one hand, the industry has been doubling its production from 2000 to 2014, taking advantage of the fast-moving consumption the society is victim of, a reflection of the always increasing rhythm the market itself dictates. Not only, it is also estimated that almost 15% of fabric meant for clothing ends up being wasted.
On the other hand, people are buying more clothes and throw them away very easily. It is said that in the last 15 years people bought 60% more garments compared to previous years, while 1 in 2 people toss their unwanted clothes in the trash. All of this leads to overproduction and overconsumption: 64% of the estimated 32 billions of produced garments end up in landfills every year.
So, what to do ?
Considering landfills alone, 95% of the textile waste thrown there could be recycled. A trend grown with the Covid-19 pandemic is the interest in the second-hand market and in the recycling and upcycling processes. More than 70% of the global population has in fact used pre-loved items at least once. Another good news is that the number of businesses recycling their products has been rising, promoting these activities also with incentives to customers: for example, H&M and Italian brand Intimissimi gave credits to clients who brought back used items.
Talking specifically about denim and cotton, it is reported that it takes 20,000 liters of water to produce just one kilogram of cotton, which corresponds to a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Using recycled cotton will then save up the same amount of water, that means a water-intensive crop.
If the future of the industry seems to look brighter than its past, there is still a lot to do. However, everything starts by taking small steps and envisioning the direction to take. Because of that, at Meridio we have been starting to provide more sustainable collections, searching for new materials and production methods.
Introducing our eco-friendly collection
It is in fact entirely made with recycled cotton coming from pre- and post- consumption waste and reused to create colourful Apple Watch straps. Aiming to keep offering quality, reliable, and durable products, the companies Meridio has collaborated with for this collection are focused on exploring new ways to fight the problem of waste, something that inspired the brand itself. The REcycle Collection doesn’t only want to give customers a wider and eco-friendlier alternative to choose from, but also wants to show that recycled products can be just as high-quality, colorful and well-performing as the new ones, making it an added value to be praised
What better way to step into the recycling world than starting with a small action like a watch band?
Choose Meridio’s Recycle collection and become part of the movement!
