Using recycled plastic bottles, Bionic Yarn creates adaptable and high performance fabrics that are being integrated seamlessly with fashionable designs.
Bionic Yarn create strong and durable fabric threads from recovered plastic. They offer a range of three yarns, each with a different structure and proportion of recovered plastic, from 40% up to 100% recycled content. The company is making strides away from niche and alternative markets into the mainstream fashion industry. Pharrell Williams is their creative director, and previous partnerships have been with companies such as Timberland, Moncler and Burton.
In a more recent development, plastic debris collected from the oceans by marine organisations and recycling companies will be specifically utilised to create Bionic Yarn. This will form part of The Vortex Project, which is an international collective of artists, designers and architects actively working to intercept plastic debris in innovative ways. In February 2017, H&M announced a new dress made from Bionic Yarn as a part of their Conscious Exclusive Collection.
It was a way to not kill plastic off but at least slow down the production of it and slow down the production of new polyester when we can just recycle the plastic from bottles.
Pharrell Williams – Creative Director and Musician.
Why you should care
It is estimated that there are 165 million tons of plastic in the oceans today. The benefits of targeting this problem through the fashion industry are wide-ranging, by combining mass-market economic demand with global plastic debris collection. The appeal of the clothing designs and the consumer reach of the brands involved both serve to increase scalability.
How the Global Goals are addressed
Responsible Consumption and Production
Using plastic waste as a raw material for the fashion industry will help to reduce the impact from our current production and consumption habits.
Life Below Water
In three years, Bionic Yarn estimate that they have pulled 7 million plastic bottles from shorelines around the world to produce their yarn, helping to protect marine ecosystems.
BIONIC
BIONIC’s mission to create technologically advanced raw materials from recovered plastic pollution found in marine and coastal environments did just that. A decade later, the company's multi-patented innovative raw materials are now used by a vast and impressive array of clients.
Global Goals addressed
