Recycled Polyester Clothing: Why It Is Not a Sustainable Solution

As sustainability becomes a key concern for consumers, recycled polyester clothing is often presented as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional synthetic fabrics. Made from plastic bottles or industrial plastic waste, recycled polyester is widely promoted as a responsible material choice in fashion.

However, research from the Changing Markets Foundation shows that recycled polyester raises serious environmental concerns that challenge its image as a sustainable textile.

What Is Recycled Polyester?

Recycled polyester (rPET) is a synthetic fiber produced by melting plastic waste—most commonly PET bottles—and re-extruding it into textile fibers. It is frequently used in sportswear and mass-market clothing due to its low cost, durability, and ease of production.

While recycling plastic may appear environmentally beneficial, the reality is far more complex.

Plastic Bottles Turned Into Clothes: A Dead-End Recycling System

One of the key findings highlighted by the Changing Markets Foundation is that recycling plastic bottles into clothing breaks the circular recycling loop.

-PET bottles can be recycled several times into new bottles

-Once transformed into textile fibers, they are extremely difficult to recycle again

-At end of life, recycled polyester garments are almost always landfilled or incinerated

This process results in downcycling, not true circularity. Instead of keeping plastic in a closed loop, recycled polyester locks it into a short-lived product with no sustainable end-of-life solution.

Recycled Polyester Can Release Even More Microplastics

Microplastic pollution is one of the most critical environmental impacts of synthetic textiles.

According to the Changing Markets Foundation, recycled polyester garments can release equal or even higher amounts of microplastic fibers compared to virgin polyester. This is due to several factors:

-Recycled fibers are often shorter and weaker, making them more prone to shedding

-Mechanical recycling processes degrade polymer quality

-Increased surface fragility leads to higher fiber loss during washing

Each wash of a recycled polyester garment can release thousands of microscopic plastic fibers. These microplastics pass through wastewater treatment systems and accumulate in:

-Rivers and oceans

-Marine organisms

-Soil and agricultural systems

-The human food chain

This means that recycling plastic into clothing does not reduce microfiber pollution—and may in some cases worsen it.

Synthetic textiles are now recognized as one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution worldwide.

Recycled Polyester Still Depends on Fossil Fuels

Despite its “recycled” label, recycled polyester is not a fossil-free material.

-Its production requires energy-intensive industrial processes

-Most facilities rely on fossil-based energy

-Global supply chains increase the carbon footprint through transport

As a result, recycled polyester continues to reinforce dependence on plastic and fossil fuels rather than reducing it.

The Risk of Greenwashing in Sustainable Fashion

The Changing Markets Foundation also warns against greenwashing in fashion marketing.

Claims such as “made from recycled plastic bottles” can give consumers the impression that a garment is environmentally responsible, even though its core impacts remain:

-Microplastic pollution

-Plastic waste at end of life

-Fossil fuel dependency

-Poor recyclability

This narrative can delay the transition toward genuinely sustainable materials and production models.

What Are the Real Alternatives to Recycled Polyester?

For fashion to become truly sustainable, material choices must go beyond recycled synthetics. More responsible approaches include:

-Natural, renewable fibers that are biodegradable

-Plastic-free textiles that do not shed microplastics

-Durable, timeless garments designed to last

-Reduced production volumes and longer product lifespans

Sustainability is not only about materials, but also about how much we produce and how long garments are worn.

Toward Truly Sustainable Clothing

Recycled polyester is often presented as a solution, but it does not address the root problems of the fashion industry. In some cases, it may even intensify microplastic pollution.

As highlighted by the Changing Markets Foundation, true sustainability in fashion requires reducing reliance on plastic altogether, not simply recycling it into clothing.

Choosing Better Materials for the Future of Fashion

At Erverte, sustainability means going further than recycled plastics. It means prioritizing natural, biodegradable, and plastic-free materials, designing garments that last, and reducing environmental impact at every stage of production.

👉 A truly responsible garment is not made from recycled plastic—it is made to respect both people and the planet.