Global initiatives on recycling are failing short with less than ten percent of plastic having been recycled over the last two decades. There are companies that have been successful in upcycling. Girlfriend Collective’s activewear is made out of recycled materials and transparency is a core pillar of the company. They provide a detailed breakdown of what each item they sell is made of. Girlfriend Collective perfectly marries environmental sustainability with style by successfully creating a none waste clothing brand
Girlfriend Collective motto, “don’t make waste, wear it” has informed every part 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 is 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. In addition, all Girlfriend Collective packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable
Almost all synthetic activewear is made from plastic so why are more companies not following Girlfriend Collective lead? The future of fashion relies on becoming a more sustainable industry. As consumers are caring more and more about transparency and sustainability. Economic analysis shows that recycling can generate three times as much revenue per ton as landfill disposal and almost six times as many jobs.