Recycled polyester
In order to offer technical fabrics and membranes while minimising the impact of their production and use on the environment, AYAQ has chosen to eco-design many pieces of the collections using recycled polyester.
The strengths of this choice are numerous.
Polyester is a synthetic fibre with many interesting properties: it has good resistance to abrasion, absorbs little moisture and allows excellent water and vapour evacuation, which makes it possible to create particularly breathable and technical fabrics.
This fibre dries quickly and has good light resistance. It is rot-proof and therefore durable over time.
BUT
Polyester is a synthetic fibre, derived from plastic, produced from oil, which is the basic component of production. Oil, of which there are limited reserves on earth, is therefore not a renewable raw material, and its extraction is highly polluting at many stages of the extraction and transport chain.
However, there is a more responsible and sustainable alternative: recycled polyester.
In its collections, AYAQ therefore uses, in the vast majority of cases, recycled polyester from post-consumer plastic bottles. This gives a second life to this material which is not biodegradable.
The technical properties of the recycled material are similar to those of virgin polyester, but the production of polyester in recycled form requires far fewer resources and energy. This is because there is no new extraction of crude oil, C02 emissions during the recycling process are infinitely lower than when virgin polyester is produced, and its use as a second life reduces the volume of plastic waste in landfills and in the soil.
Chemical or mechanical?
There are two ways to make recycled polyester: mechanically or chemically.
AYAQ has chosen to use mechanically mechanically recycled polyester The bottles are first sorted, then crushed into chips which are melted (without the use of chemicals) to make granules. These granules are then heated and processed with high precision machines to make yarns.
Chemical recycling is a faster technique, but many environmentally harmful chemicals are used in its manufacture.
At AYAQ we have decided not to use chemically recycled polyester. This is because the mechanical recycling technique requires far fewer resources and energy to produce than virgin or chemically recycled polyester.
NewLife™ yarn, the majority used in our products, guarantees the same level of performance and quality as virgin yarn. Thanks to its unique production process, NewLife™ contributes to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions (-32%) that impact global warming, while also ensuring water (-94%) and energy (-64%) savings.
The main environmental limitation of polyester and recycled polyester is the plastic microfibres.
Like all polyester and other petroleum-based fibres, recycled polyester releases plastic microfibres. These are mainly released during washing, when these micro-particles are released into the waste water of washing machines, which can potentially end up in the downstream water circuits, and therefore in nature.
To address this issue, AYAQ has chosen to use recycled polyester only when it adds value in terms of technicality and durability to the garment.
As a solution to microfibre leakage during washing, AYAQ advises the use of a special wash bag, also known as a "Guppyfriend". By washing your polyester (or recycled polyester or other petroleum based fibres) garments inside this bag, which has been specifically developed to collect plastic micro-particles, you will will limit the friction that can cause pilling and reduce the leakage of microfibres into nature. A good gesture for the planet and for your clothes!