Recycled Nylon

What is recycled nylon?

Recycled nylon is a more eco-responsible alternative to virgin nylon which, we remind you, is a synthetic plastic of the polyamide family derived from the chemical industry composed of hard coal ( a mineral fuel with a high carbon content) or petroleum. For more information on nylon, we invite you to read the article introducing it.
Back to recycled nylon now. It's made from discarded nylon. It has the same properties of strength, stretch and waterproofing. It is mainly used in tights, sportswear or swimwear.

Different types of recycled nylon are available: Econyl, Q-NOVA and NILIT Ecocare.
Econyl is considered the best recycled nylon available. It is a 100% recycled and recyclable nylon fiber. It is made from pre-consumer waste such as fabric scraps and post-consumer waste such as plastic waste (water bottles), fishing nets or old carpets, among others. It's particularly popular because it helps clean up the oceans of plastic waste. Indeed, nylon fishing nets, if left in the water, can drift for over 500 years. They are said to be responsible for the death of 100,000 animals every year.
NILIT Ecocare, on the other hand, is produced from pre-consumer nylon, the nylon used coming from sportswear offcuts that were normally destined for the garbage can. It is a 90% recycled fiber.
Finally, Q-NOVA, a minimum 50% recycled fiber, also comes from pre-consumer nylon. The company that manufactures it recovers its own nylon scraps and recycles them.

Where does recycled nylon come from?

Recycled nylon such as Econyl and Q-NOVA are produced in Italy, while NILIT Ecocare is made in Israel.

Material transformation processes

The manufacturing process depends on the type of recycled nylon.
For Econyl, the process is simple. The first step is to collect the desired waste, which is collected from rubbish dumps or from the sea. They are then sorted and washed to extract as much nylon as possible. The used nylon is then processed and recycled, i.e. shredded, melted and re-spun. A new garment will be made, and at the end of its life, the Econyl can be 100% recycled to produce new garments, and so on.
In the case of Q-NOVA, the manufacturing process is entirely mechanical. No chemicals are used to produce it.

Is recycled nylon compatible with ethical and responsible fashion?

Recycled nylon isn't perfectly compatible with ethical and responsible fashion, even if it is a good alternative to classic nylon, itself extremely polluting. The limitations of this material should not be overlooked. Let's take a look.
Recycled nylon gives a second life to products made from conventional nylon, thus limiting the amount of polluting waste. What's more, its manufacturing process generally requires fewer products, less energy and less water. Some, like Econyl, are 100% recyclable ad infinitum.
As another example, 1kg of Q-Nova recycled nylon saves nearly 25l of oil and 159l of water compared with virgin nylon.
But recycled nylon is still nylon produced from petroleum. When washed, it still releases plastic micro-particles that pollute the oceans. To counter this, it's important to use a washing bag (a Guppyfriend) that will filter out these micro-particles and prevent them from ending up in waterways.
To further reduce the environmental impact of recycled nylon, buy recycled nylon items from second hand or from our Find our favorites in women's recycled nylon
Find our favorites in men's recycled nylon