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Eco-Challenges in Textile Industry
Textile plays the role of serving humans from cradle to grave. The essential and one of the oldest industries in human history is also ranking high in the list of most polluting industries. With raised concerns on preserving natural resources and environment, recycling and sustainable practice become deliberately discussed to strengthen the industry in a way it can be sustainably developed.
Know more about why you have to choose eco friendly fabric
Sustainable Solution in Foam Fabric
ARIAPRENE® started with sustainability in the core, some of already known eco characters include solvent-free lamination, toxic-free foam-core, and hypo-allergenic properties. These eco-qualities not only pass strict in-house tests, ARIAPRENE® foam-core fabric is also voluntarily sent to independent third-party laboratories to prove the claimed safety and eco-qualities.
The next step ARIAPRENE® took was to find ways to reduce and reuse foam-core material from the production. When looking into the production, the step that creates the biggest amount of waste comes from cutting and trimming of ARIAPRENE®, which is also a necessary step just as any textile needs. The question was: What if we can create ARIAPRENE® in equally good quality using the extra and unused ARIAPRENE® as recycled ingredients?
The idea is quickly echoed by our partners both internally and externally. However, knowing there weren’t previous examples of foam-core products made from recycled material and still remains the same level of quality led us to know the way isn’t easy.
Following years of Research & Development attempts, ARIAPRENE® TERRA™, a new line made from 20% to up to 100% in-house recycled ARIAPRENE® was introduced in 2019. About a year later, ARIAPRENE® TERRA™ lamination package received Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification.
How ARIAPRENE® is Recycled and Repurposed Into Same Quality Fabric
Similar to any recycled resources, the process starts with collecting, sorting and categorizing what used to be treated as wastes. In this case, cutting and trimming from the in-house production line. ARIAPRENE® in different color and foam hardness are separated in order to be reused to produce different specs of ARIAPRENE® TERRA™. The recycled ingredients are reinvested in ARIAPRENE® TERRA™ production at earliest possible times.
ARIAPRENE® TERRA™ provides products made with 20% and 100% recycled ARIAPRENE®. With 20% percent recycled ARIAPRENE® TERRA™, the physical properties and characteristics are expected to be as high quality as original ARIAPRENE®. Moreover, the recycled percentage can be leveled up to as high as 100% with natural breathability and slightly less rigid properties.
Adding perforations and/or heat treatment to ARIAPRENE® TERRA™ to meet design needs is absolutely possible just as the original ARIAPRENE® was able to. The last step to build up an ARIAPRENE® TERRA™ foam-core package is to add fabric on top and bottom, the line utilized Global Recycled Standard (GRS) approved fabric to complete the multi-layer foam-core fabric.
Common Product Application Categories
ARIAPRENE® TERRA™ is suitable to be applied in a variety of products categories. Here are some examples.
- Footwear: uppers, booties, vent panels, tongues.
Backpacks & bags: back panel, ventilation system, shoulder straps, pockets.
Sports accessories: wearables, athletic gear, protective equipment.
Apparel: bra pads, insulating layer for ski sportswear.
Closing the Loop with ARIAPRENE®
ARIAPRENE® has been recycling production waste to produce ingredients for secondary products, for example the flooring in children’s playground, which postpone the disposal and slow down the use of new resources. Moving from open-loop to closed-loop recycling, these recycled in-house ARIAPRENE® surplus are now resources to make the same quality product with the same safety. Less new resources are consumed when ARIAPRENE® products are used.
