Normalizing Zero-Waste Business Model

The recycling and reuse industry falsely reassures the public that we are doing a small part to save our planet by simply recycling single use plastic. However, the unfortunate reality is that less than ten percent of plastic has actually been recycled over the last two decades. Recycling is a concept that was invented by plastic companies to help delude consumers into thinking they are not creating excessive waste. The recycling system in America is broken. Corporate America has been convinced that a zero-waste business model cannot be profitable. In reality, the future is green and companies that are creating zero-waste business models now will have a competitive advantage in the future.

In the late 80s, the plastic industry was under fire from the general public due to growing concerns about the amount of plastic in their communities. Industry companies like Exxon, Chevron, Dow, DuPon spent millions of dollars on ads promoting the narrative of recycling. In reality, these companies were promoting the benefits of a product that, for the most part, was buried, burned or washed into the ocean. 

These companies can turn used plastic into new things but the process of picking it up, sorting it out and melting it down is too costly. On the other hand, new plastic created from oil and gas is almost always less expensive and better quality.  

Regardless of the claims that it is too costly to upcycling many companies have successfully built profitable businesses. Girlfriend Collective’s activewear is made out of recycled materials and transparency is a core pillar of the company. The company provides a detailed breakdown of what each product is developed and its environmental impact. Girlfriend Collective perfectly marries environmental sustainability with style by successfully creating a zero-waste clothing brand.

Girlfriend Collective motto, “don’t make waste, wear it” has influenced every aspect of their manufacturing process. Girlfriend Collective textiles are made from recycled materials in a facility they own in Taiwan that specializes in eco-friendly and high-quality textiles. Roughly 55 percent of waste is recycled in Taiwan, as opposed to only 35 percent in the United States.

At this facility they clean, sort, cut and melt down the recycled materials that are then spun into yarn. This yarn is then spun into fabric and dyed with eco-friendly dies. The company then takes their sustainability mission a step further by treating the water they use to dye the fabrics till it is clean enough to be cycled back into nature. Finally, all Girlfriend Collective packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable.

Almost all synthetic activewear is made from plastic. Economic analysis shows that recycling can generate three times as much revenue per ton as landfill disposal and almost six times as many jobs. Consumers are caring more and more about transparency and sustainability.  The future of fashion and the world relies on our society becoming more sustainable. So why are more companies not following Girlfriend Collective lead?

The recycling industry continues to be an enormous economic driver in the United States. In 2014, the recycling industry employed more than 1.1 million people, generating over $236 billion in gross annual revenues. In addition, the recycling industry saved over $3 billion in avoided landfill disposal fees.

Even with the economic growth of the recycling industry plastics-waste is becoming a crisis. Many companies like Girlfriend Collective have proven that it is possible to be profitable and eco conscious yet the stigma remains that being a sustainable company is less profitable.

The most common reason given for the current economic crisis in recycling is the supply and demand problem. There is an excess of recyclable material in storage with no great demand. The recyclers also wait for the price to rise to a level that allows them to cover the cost of collection, transportation, processing, packaging, and storage. If more businesses explored upcycling there would be a hirer demand and help aid the current economic crisis in recycling.    

In the past, the U.S has sent most of its plastic waste to China to get recycled prior to the country rejecting imports of the world’s waste starting in 2018. As a country and as a world, we face an uphill battle with plastic. The path forward to aid this crisis is to educate others about the broken recycling system.