Press Release: How Do Plastic Bottles Become Clothing?

RAFFAUF Launches Transparent Summer Collection Made Of Recycled PET Bottles

Berlin, 30.03.2021 – The sustainable Berlin-based fashion brand RAFFAUF has designed a new summer collection made from recycled PET bottles. But how do plastic bottles become clothing?

The bottles are first collected and sorted. In the production plant, they are cleaned and crushed. The tiny particles are then melted and turned into wafer-thin polyester fibres, which are spun into threads, dyed without heavy metals and finally woven into a new fabric. The end result is a completely recycled fabric from which RAFFAUF produces transparent jackets and coats. The models are narrow parkas with hoods and wide trench coats with large shawl collars in light beige or dark navy blue. The finished garments are soft, wind- and water-resistant, and vegan. They are also particularly lightweight and can be rolled up small and stowed in the bag.

But is recycled polyester actually more sustainable than virgin polyester? "Compared to virgin polyester, the material we use needs 60% less energy and over 90% less water during its production. Co2 emissions are reduced by 30%," says designer Caroline Raffauf. "Since the fabric is made of 100% recycled PET bottles, it can be recycled again at the end of the product life cycle. This is particularly important for us in our choice of materials. The fashion industry produces about 92 million tonnes of waste every year. In order to reduce this number, we already think about the problem in the design process."

The material origin is also Global Recycle Standard certified and can be fully traced back to the company that collects the plastic bottles in northern Italy. In addition to compliance with ecological criteria, the certification also guarantees fair working conditions throughout the fabric’s entire manufacturing process.

In addition to recycled materials, Caroline Raffauf uses natural, regrowing raw materials in her sustainable collection. The favourite among the natural fibres is organic cotton. Its pesticide-free cultivation protects the soil and needs a significantly lower amount of energy and water than conventional cotton. Just like the fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, purely natural fibres can eventually be recycled - or composted.

You can download the photo for this press release here. Use permitted for editorial purposes related to RAFFAUF only, source must be named (© David Kavaler / RAFFAUF). We are happy to provide more images upon request.