Alsico, a Belgian manufacturer of protective work clothing, has developed a uniform made entirely from recycled textiles. In the press release the company speaks of a first.
The project comes from Alsico Academy, the expertise team within the company that focuses on developing sustainable and comfortable fabrics, and the recycling company Sixone. That company processed collected clothing from Alsico into polyester granules, from which new yarns and fabrics were made. Tests show that the new fabric meets the requirements for professional workwear. This means that the new Alsico ‘closed loop’ uniforms have been recycled.
Protective work clothing is intended to protect employees in sectors such as healthcare, logistics and industry against health risks such as heat, dangerous chemicals or cuts. Because these substances must meet strict safety and quality standards, reuse is technically complex. In the press release, Vincent Siau, head of the Alsico Academy, calls the company’s first circular uniform “a huge achievement”.
According to data shared by Alsico in the press release, the recycled design leads to 60 percent less greenhouse gas emissions, 64 percent less energy consumption and 40 percent less water consumption compared to conventional polyester.
The development fits into Alsico’s broader sustainability program ARX, with which the company is working towards a circular supply chain. The goal is to phase out virgin fossil raw materials and to run 90 percent of productions with ‘preferred fibers’ by 2040: materials with a lower environmental impact.
Alsico will present the circular garment in November at the A+A trade fair in Düsseldorf.
