Is recycled polyester sustainable?

Recycled polyester, often made from post-consumer plastic bottles or reclaimed textile waste, is frequently marketed as a sustainable alternative to virgin polyester. While it does divert plastic from landfills and requires less energy to produce than creating new polyester from petroleum, it is not without significant environmental drawbacks. The fabric still sheds microplastics during washing, takes hundreds of years to decompose, and cannot be recycled indefinitely without degradation in quality.

The recycling process itself also has limitations. Most recycled polyester comes from PET bottles rather than old garments, meaning it does not actually close the loop within the fashion industry. Once a garment made from recycled polyester reaches the end of its life, it typically ends up in a landfill just like its virgin counterpart. Additionally, the process of converting bottles into fiber still requires energy and chemical inputs.

At ONDU, we believe natural and biodegradable fabrics like organic cotton, merino wool, hemp, and Tencel offer a more genuinely sustainable path forward. While recycled polyester has a role in reducing petroleum dependence, we prioritize materials that will not persist in the environment for centuries or contribute to microfiber pollution in our waterways.