At Direct Corporate Clothing, our commitment to providing technical workwear and PPE goes hand-in-hand with our responsibility to the planet. For years, the workwear industry has grappled with the environmental impact of its supply chain, particularly the reliance on plastics and the resulting waste.
Today, we are witnessing a revolutionary shift driven by plastic-to-fabric initiatives which are fundamentally changing how we source materials and design protective gear. This movement isn’t just an ethical choice; it’s an innovative approach that delivers sustainable, high-performance solutions.
The opportunity: Transforming waste into wearables
The scale of plastic waste is immense
Millions of tonnes are entering landfills and oceans annually. The good news is that advancements in recycling technology now allow us to harness this waste and transform it into high-quality, durable fabrics suitable for the demanding environments of workwear and PPE.
The core of this initiative involves collecting post-consumer and post-industrial plastic – most commonly PET (polyethylene terephthalate) from plastic bottles. This plastic is cleaned, chipped into flakes, melted and spun into Recycled Polyester (rPET) yarn. This process offers a triple win: it reduces landfill waste, conserves finite resources (as it reduces the need for virgin fossil fuels) and lowers the energy required for production compared to virgin polyester.
In the workwear and PPE sector, the opportunities for rPET are vast:
- Garment linings and fillers: Recycled plastic is perfectly suited for durable jacket linings, insulation and wadding, providing excellent thermal properties without compromising on weight or comfort.
- Outer shell fabrics: New technologies are producing highly durable rPET fabrics suitable for trousers, shirts and outer protective shells, often blended with other fibres to maintain specific technical properties.
- High-visibility and corporate wear: Recycled fibres are increasingly used in high-visibility vests and standard corporate shirting, proving that sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing aesthetic or functionality.
Our commitment to zero landfill
Our supply chain -> a regenerative cycle
We believe that true sustainability requires a holistic approach to a garment’s entire lifecycle.
Our commitment ensures that every garment we supply, where possible, is accounted for at the end of its life. This includes sophisticated processes for recycling and regenerating plastics into fabric, specifically for linings and other components. By actively closing the loop, we are not just reducing waste; we are turning our supply chain into a regenerative cycle.
Innovation is key to making this transition effective. We continuously vet new sustainable materials and processes to ensure they meet the stringent performance and regulatory requirements of technical workwear and PPE. This means exploring advancements in closed-loop recycling, where textiles are broken down chemically to be re-spun, and seeking out partnerships that champion ethical and environmental excellence.
A supply chain revolution
Plastic-to-fabric is more than a trend
The shift to plastic-to-fabric is driving wider improvements across the workwear supply chain:
- Transparency and traceability: Suppliers who utilise rPET often have more transparent supply chains, as the source of the plastic must be verifiable. This aids in providing clients with clear metrics on their environmental impact.
- Reduced carbon footprint: The manufacturing process for rPET generally uses less energy than that of virgin polyester, contributing to a reduced overall carbon footprint for the final garment.
- Compliance and corporate responsibility: For companies aiming to meet demanding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets, partnering with suppliers who actively integrate recycled plastics is a powerful and visible demonstration of corporate responsibility.
The move to plastic-to-fabric is more than a trend; it is a fundamental pillar of modern, responsible manufacturing in the workwear industry.
By embracing these initiatives, we are delivering high-quality, durable PPE and workwear that protects people while preserving the planet.
It’s a strategic investment in a cleaner future.
