Your Thursday night sushi date comes not only with a side miso and salad but also with piping hot ethical repercussions. The production of your spicy tuna and crunchy dragon rolls equals the loss of more than half a million tons of fishing nets that float around like ghosts trapping fish and marine life alike. Ocean plastic, like discarded fishing nets, imposes an increasing threat to our marine ecosystems. With particular attention to these ‘ghostnets,’ producers and consumers alike have sprung into action. According to a 2018 study by Science Reports, fishing nets make up about 46% of the ocean’s plastic pollutants. The nets represent an immensely untapped resource for material production in recycling.
A variety of organizations have made it their mission to collect, clean, and recycle these nets into nylon fibers that can be used in anything from skateboard decks to yoga pants. ECONYL, Aquafil, and the Healthy Seas Initiative are all organizations working together to quell the plague of abandoned fishing nets. The general aim of the collaborating companies is to reduce ‘ghost fishing,’ a name given to the way in which lost fishing nets float aimlessly in the ocean, trapping fish and wrecking ecosystems. Without the efforts of companies like these, and without the increasing demand for a better relationship between humans, industry, and the environment, abandoned fishing gear poses a uniquely sinister threat to marine ecosystems. Thanks to modern science’s growing understanding of recycling and material production, our society is taking its first steps towards a future of harmony between humanity and the environment.
Fishing nets are made out of thermoplastics, meaning their polymers are adequate for the recycling process due to their ideal melting and reforming capacity. Surprisingly, the time the nets have spent floating in the ocean doesn’t seem to affect the recycling process or the quality of the final regenerated nylon fibers. In fact, roughly 86% of ocean plastic pollutants are thermoplastics. An increased effort towards cleaning up our oceans is therefore entirely justifiable and could certainly be advocated as a substantial substitute for commercial starting material.
It is only in the last decade that ghostnets have been recycled into raw materials. In one example process, the nets are first recovered by the Healthy Seas Initiative, then recycled by Aquafil into ECONYL nylon yarn that can be used for any variety of garments and accessories. The process of recycling starts with cleaning the nets and drying them out. Next, as ECONYL’s website claims, the nets undergo a “radical regeneration and purification process, [and] the nylon waste is recycled right back to its original purity.”
ECONYL has expertly branded its material as “regenerated” to modernize the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” slogan. The concept of regeneration has invigorated a dialogue about saving the environment. The phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” has been repeated so often that it has perhaps become monotonous. This new wave of recycling aims to put an emphasis on the process of transformation. This idea is not only inspiring for environmentalists but can lead to creative manifestations within fashion and product design. We are not only regenerating the fishing nets, but also transforming our outlook on the possibilities for a positive relationship between the environment and the fashion industry. The ghost nets are reborn. Once an empty and sinister entity, the material is now a raw resource with infinite possibilities for creation and innovation.
These updated definitions of recycling and the growing excitement about sustainable materials is charting a course away from the pernicious relationship between the environment and clothing production. However, sustainability conscious clothing production hasn’t always been associated with style or fashion. New efforts of the high fashion world to explore and undertake the recycling of ocean pollutants is extremely exciting because in doing so the fashion world labeled recycling and sustainable consumption with a certain prestige. Being environmentally conscious is now sexy, artistic, and insanely cool. ECONYL has been a hot commodity for luxury brands and has been featured in Gucci’s spring 2019 men’s outerwear and a limited bag line for Prada. But does this mean that sustainable garments are anything more than a fleeting trend, where people are only participate to fit in and boost their egos? The consumer has the autonomy to drive the market. If popular companies begin to set precedents for sustainable production practices, using recycled materials will become the status quo.By plugging companies like ECONYL, upscale brands like Gucci and Prada are setting a precedent for environmental production practices.
One breakout brand making statements with ghost net ECONYL yarn is the UK-based designer outerwear, Avoria. Their newest collection of coats miraculously combines minimalism with maximalism and satisfies our desire for bright pastels during the dreariness of winter. The collection varies in lengths and heaviness, so you can buy one for fall and one for winter. Avoria is also pushing innovation and consumer participation with a customization option. The coats are made up of panels that you can order in different colors and combinations to suit your particular outfit and the weather.
Recycled Nylon strutted the runway this fall in Jonathan Cohen’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection in the form of a cocktail dress embroidered with upcycled Swarovski crystals. Jonathan says this is an important meditation, “on the type of house [they] want to be: one that is responsible for and conscious of its impact on the world.” The ocean-blue, A-line, colorful halter demonstrates sustainability in fashion can be beautifully elegant. Creativity and innovation take an earth-conscious mindset to the next level.
(Image: ©Jonathan Cohen Studios)
(https://jonathancohenstudio.com/collections/spring-summer-2020)
However, high fashion isn’t the biggest fish in the sea of sustainable practices. In 2019 we can already observe consumer brand initiatives to incorporate recycled materials. Many consumer brands are using nylon from recycled fishing nets and other ocean pollutants. There is a great diversity in the possibilities that these recycled materials can create. If you are in the market for a new winter coat and Avoria’s paneled coats are too alternative or expensive, Everlane has an assortment of winter wear made entirely from recycled materials including ocean plastic. If you’re looking to refresh your athletic wardrobe consult Girlfriend Collective’s line of 100% recycled athletic wear. Adidas’ Parley shoe collection sources directly from recycled fishing nets and would make a great outfit addition for your next climate change rally.
The rise of recycled materials in garments and consumer items does bring up some questions about marketing ploys and trend adherence. Are brands only participating because branding their products as sustainable, ocean-friendly, or 100% recycled is “in-style?” Are companies exploiting society’s passion for the environment for a profit? Or, could this be a genuine effort to participate in the international struggle to assuage the plastic apocalypse? Confronting questions like these will put the consumer in control of the market.
Brands are marketed as sustainable because it is not yet a status quo. It is appealing to consumers to see the “eco-friendly” label because it sets brands apart. If all companies adopted sustainable practices and regularly used recycled materials then no brand could use sustainability as a marketing ploy over another brand. However, the tide is changing and the miraculous mounting support for sustainable practices amongst consumers, the media, fashion platforms, and big industry is beginning to pave the way towards environmental revolution. This revolution is in part underscored by a completely redefined relationship between fashion and the environment. A global effort to change our processes of production and consumption will open the door to a more connected and earth-centered fashion marketplace.