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Did you know that clothes can be completely recycled and used again? It’s all part of the groundbreaking EcoProFabrics initiative and it couldn’t be simpler. EcoProFabrics produces durable and attractive clothes that can be leased by your company or organisation. Then we take them back and completely recycle them via new and advanced techniques!

Whether you are an industrial/manual organisation, an office-based organisation, or a combination of the two, this is a great way to discover the Circular Economy, improve your ecological performance, and demonstrate a real commitment to better resource management.

Reduce your ecological footprintManufacturing conventional textiles has an enormous environment impact, and the industry uses up to 2000 different chemicals (dyes to transfer agents). And in addition to the large amounts of water required for cotton cultivation, water is used in every step of the production process (to both convey and wash out chemicals). For example, to produce just one new t-shirt requires 2700 litres of water. Textile manufacturing is also a highly automated process that uses large amounts of energy, leaving a considerable CO2 footprint when fossil fuels are used.

Revolutionary Returnity® fabricEcoProFabrics is our sustainable response to this unsustainable situation, And we deliver that sustainability via Returnity®, a 100% reusable polyester fabric and first certified Cradle to Cradle fabric, developed by Backhausen and designed for a continuous loop of reuse and recycling. In comparison to cotton, Returnity® eliminates the concept of waste while offering 95% water savings, 64% energy savings and 73% CO2 savings.

Durable Work Wear Work wear that never stops working. Because after use, the garments are returned to EcoProFabrics project partners. The fabrics are then shredded and turned into new yarns via a melt spinning process. These yarns are then used to create new fabrics for work wear.EcoProFabrics work wear is made from a breathing, durable material; it is strong, comfortable, and comparable to other types of high quality work wear in the market. Employees take part in product development and optimisation by giving feedback on the work wear’s feel and performance.Work wear made from this unique fabric includes trousers, overalls, aprons and jackets. The work wear can be fully tailored to your organization and is available under the brand True Colors. In addition, we can add specific types of coatings such as waterproof, windproof and high visibility. The

Service: EcoProFabrics

Towards a circular economy for the garments and textile industry

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standard fabric already contains a flame retardant coating. We can take care of washing and repair. For other types of work wear, such as t-shirts and polo shirts, we make use of conventional materials (cotton and cotton/polyester blends). After use, we take the garments back and recycle these to reusable materials.

Cost effectiveIn the transition towards functional service contracts, our prediction is that costs will reduce in the near future as only limited virgin yarns will be needed and the remainder of the yarns will be generated from the recycling process. Thus, savings will be calculated and taken into consideration in the client’s next order.

Fashioning a collaborative approachEcoProFabrics is an innovation project co-funded by the European Union’s CIP Eco-innovation program. It is a true representation of the circular economy principles in practice, with companies working together to improve business performance and market competitiveness. Within the project, six companies from the fashion, textile and recycling industry have committed to introducing and upscaling Returnity® wear into the market.In this way, EcoProFabrics embodies transparency towards your chain partners and your client. The garments’ life stages will be monitored and evaluated via a dedicated Track and Trace system with a unique QR code. In addition, a Life Cycle Analysis tool, developed by EcoChain, helps to form a Circular Content Management System.

The system will allow companies in the chain, as well as users of the work wear, to know the composition of the work wear, how effectively resources are used, and the amount of energy saved during production.

Uptake of the EcoProFabrics products into the market will be executed via a number of forward-thinking launch customers. We would like to invite you to become a launch customer as we introduce the market to radical changes in the way we design and use natural resources.

ContactInterested in what EcoProFabrics can offer your organisation? Please contact Dutch aWEARness, the concept originators. For background information on the EcoProFabrics project and the circular economy in the textile and garment industry, please contact Royal HaskoningDHV, manager of the EcoProFabrics project.

Royal HaskoningDHVEdward PfeifferE ecoprofabrics@rhdhv.com

Violeta PaginuT +31 (0) 24 3284 599M +31 (0) 6 23041734E violeta.paginu@rhdhv.com