Nov. 2018
Written by Nina Scott
Co-Founder, GROUNDTRUTH Global
Our entire range is created from 100% recycled plastic materials
When we set out to create our range of 100% recycled products, we knew that we would need to look to the forefront of the industry to find materials that fit our needs. It was important to us that our products were truly 100% recycled, down to the very smallest of details – from fastenings to thread and for everything in between.
We began with our fabric. While recycled textiles are developing at a rapid pace, we wanted to push the boundaries of what was technically possible – and that meant creating a bespoke recycled textile for the RIKR range. This process took us to factories across Asia, where we engaged first-hand with the processes, technologies and sustainable practices they put to use.
The process of turning plastic refuse into high-performance recycled textiles begins with the collection of plastic waste from oceans, waterways and landscapes worldwide.
Once gathered, this plastic is passed on to a recycling plant, where it is cleaned, sorted and baled for dispatch. From here, the waste plastic travels to the mill, where it is crushed into chips, heated into pellets, and then spun into a durable, flexible PET yarn. For us it was important to track where this plastic came from and that's why we only select partners who provide GRS certified yarn. GRS stands for Global Recycled Standard, which is a standard which verifies the presence and amount of recycled material in fabrics and tracks the flow of raw materials from its source to the final product.
The manufacture of a single recycled textile can involve as many as ten different factories, making it a challenge to ensure that sustainable and ethical standards are implemented throughout. This was a major factor in our choice of manufacturing partners; we searched relentlessly to find factories and teams who shared our values and upheld the standards of the Bluesign system.
After several months, we found a mill in Taiwan who could create the type of high-performance textile we were looking for, whilst remaining sustainable and accountable through every stage of the process. We sampled and tested many different weave structures and techniques until we were satisfied with the result: a unique, 100% recycled PET textile whose properties fit our needs perfectly. Used throughout the RIKR range, our GT-RK-001 fabric is stain-resistant, rip-proof, tactile and durable, with a ballistic tri-stop 600 denier weave and a PFC-free, water-repellent coating.
Innovation is a continues evolving concept, and at GROUNDTRUTH we are always looking at how we can elevate, refine, strengthen and most importantly remove the harmful plastics and chemicals that pollute our environment. As a team we do not come from a science or business background, but what we do have is a strong drive and the recognition that through collaboration and working together we are able to create real feasible change. We definitely believe in the concept of "stronger together".
