Recycled polyester
In order to offer technical fabrics and membranes while minimizing the impact of their production and use on the environment, AYAQ has chosen to eco-design many pieces in the collections using recycled polyester.
The strengths of this choice are numerous.
Polyester is a synthetic fiber with many interesting properties: it has good abrasion resistance, absorbs little moisture and allows excellent evacuation of water and vapor, which makes it possible to create particularly breathable and technical fabrics.
This fiber dries quickly and has good light resistance. It is rot-proof and therefore durable over time.
BUT
Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from plastic, produced from petroleum, which is the basic component of its production. Oil, which has limited reserves on Earth, is therefore not a renewable raw material, and its extraction is highly polluting at many levels of the extraction and transportation chain.
However, there is a more responsible and sustainable alternative: recycled polyester.
In its collections, AYAQ 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 recycled material are similar to virgin polyester, but the production of recycled polyester requires significantly fewer resources and energy. There is no new crude oil extraction, CO2 emissions during the recycling process are infinitely lower than during the production of virgin polyester, and its second-life use reduces the volume of plastic waste in landfills and soils.
Chemical or mechanical?
There are two ways to make recycled polyester: mechanically or chemically.
AYAQ has chosen to use mechanically recycled polyester : the bottles are first sorted, then crushed into chips that 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. Mechanical recycling requires far fewer resources and energy to produce than virgin or chemically recycled polyester.
NewLife™ yarn, the main ingredient 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%), which impact global warming, while also ensuring water (-94%) and energy (-64%) savings.
The main environmental limitation of polyester and recycled polyester: plastic microfibers.
Like all polyesters and other petroleum-based fibers, recycled polyester releases plastic microfibers. These releases occur primarily during washing, when these microparticles are released into washing machine wastewater, potentially ending up in downstream water systems and, therefore, in nature.
To address this issue, AYAQ has chosen to only use recycled polyester when it brings real added value in terms of technicality and durability to the garment.
To solve the problem of microfibers leaking during washing, AYAQ recommends using a special washing bag, also called a “Guppyfriend.” By washing your polyester-based clothes (or recycled polyester or other petroleum-based fibers) in this bag, which is specifically designed to collect plastic microparticles, you will limit the friction that can cause pilling and reduce the loss of microfibers into the environment. A good thing for the planet and for your clothes!
