We explain what recycled polyamide is

Since the launch of our organic cotton tights, we’ve talked a lot about the 21% recycled polyamide they contain. Some of you might have thought, “Great, that’s exactly what I wanted from a pair of tights!” but we suspect that for many, it was more like, “Okay, it has the word ‘recycled’ so it sounds pretty cool for the environment, but what exactly is polyamide?” You know us by now; you know we love to teach you more and more about everything related to textiles and the environment.

Discover Peau-Ethique tights!

Polyamide, what is it?

Polyamide is a synthetic material that exists in several derivative forms. The most well-known to date is nylon (polyamide 6.6, which we use for making our tights). Due to its high resistance and flexibility, it is also used to make many garments, such as lingerie or yoga wear. By stretching it into very fine and long filaments, we can create spools of thread for manufacturing our textile products.

And what about the environment?

So, yes, as producers of organic cotton underwear, nylon is very practical. However, we must admit that it is a highly polluting material that would be better avoided for several reasons.

• • First, as we explained earlier, nylon is a polyamide, but here's the big problem: it's derived from petroleum. It is therefore extremely polluting and energy-intensive to produce. Its production releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, such as nitrogen oxide or nitrous oxide (N2O), which represents 298 times its weight in CO2.

• • After the manufacturing process, nylon doesn't stop polluting. In fact, when you put a garment containing it in your washing machine, plastic microparticles detach from it. These microparticles then pass through the filters of treatment plants, only to end up at the bottom of our oceans.

• • As we mentioned in a previous article, tights that are mostly made of nylon have a lifespan of between 3 and 5 days. This makes them one of the most polluting textile products. Furthermore, it should be noted that to produce a single pair of classic tights, 14,000 kilometers of thread and 750 liters of water are needed.

Our approach

When we started thinking about the manufacturing process for our new organic cotton tights, we quickly realized that it would be impossible to do without polyamide. So, we decided it was okay to use polyamide, but absolutely out of the question to use it as is. We then turned to recycled polyamide, which is an eco-responsible alternative to classic nylon. It consumes less energy and water and is made from already used polyamide. Moreover, there are several types, each with different impacts and processes. For our part, we use NILIT® Ecocare fiber, a textile fiber recycled at least 90%. Furthermore, the company that created NILIT uses nylon from sports clothing scraps that were destined for the trash to give them a second life.

Now that you know everything about recycled polyamide, you can support our initiative by taking a look at our ultra-comfortable and resistant eco-friendly recycled tights!

Join the community! 

Peauethique


Peau-Ethique