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The Circular Polybag Pilot

The Circular Polybag Pilot

The aim of the pilot was to tackle the environmental issues caused by virgin polybags in the fashion industry. This industry-first pilot aimed to create a closed-loop recycling solution for polybags, using post-consumer polybag waste and achieving a high level of recycled content suitable for industry needs.

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Problem Statement

Every year, 180 billion polybags are produced globally, and less than 15% are recycled. Most recycled polybags rely on pre-consumer waste, which is not a fully circular solution. This pilot aimed to address this by creating polybags from post-consumer waste to close the loop and reduce dependence on virgin polybags.

Executive Summary

The Circular Polybag Pilot was launched in December 2019 by Fashion for Good in collaboration with brand partners adidas, C&A, Kering, Otto Group, PVH Corp. The pilot tested a circular solution for polybags using Cadel Deinking’s technology. The project successfully demonstrated that polybags made from 100% recycled content (80% post-consumer and 20% post-industrial) could meet industry standards. The project was able to significantly reduce the environmental impact of polybags, showing that circular polybags could have one-fifth the impact of virgin polybags.

Goals of the Project

  • Test the feasibility of creating polybags from 100% recycled content, using post-consumer waste.

  • Develop a fully circular “bag-to-bag” concept where polybags are recycled back into new polybags.

  • Reduce the environmental impact of polybags compared to virgin plastic production.

  • Scale the solution through partnerships and demonstrate its viability in various regions and industries.

Project Results

  • The polybags produced contained 100% recycled content: 80% post-consumer and 20% post-industrial.

  • The pilot successfully validated a circular “bag-to-bag” system that met stakeholder specifications.

  • The circular polybags were shown to have one-fifth the environmental impact of virgin polybags, according to a fast-tracked LCA using the Delft University of Technology’s eco-cost methodology.

  • Cadel Deinking’s technology was expanded globally to the UK, USA, France, Italy, and Brazil, contributing to the launch of Mainetti’s Polyloop recycling process.

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