Eastman Partners With Debrand To Recycle Apparel Waste From Top Brands
Eastman, a specialty materials company renowned for its Naia cellulosic fibres, has initiated a strategic collaboration with Debrand, a leading next-life logistics company specializing in sustainable solutions for apparel waste, serving some of the world’s top apparel and footwear brands.
In partnership with Debrand, Eastman is utilizing its cutting-edge molecular recycling technology to recycle 5,000 pounds of pre- and post-consumer apparel waste. This innovative process breaks down apparel waste to its molecular building blocks, which are then used to create Naia Renew fibres — circular fibres comprised of 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% recycled waste material, certified by the Global Recycled Standard.
“Our collaboration with Debrand allows us to make significant strides towards our Naia sustainability objectives, particularly in mainstreaming circularity by providing sustainable alternatives for textiles that have reached their end of life. This partnership underscores our dedication to working closely with key collectors and sorters to drive essential infrastructure changes for advancing sustainability in fashion.”, says Claudia de Witte, Eastman’s textiles sustainability leader.
“We approached this project with careful intention and a focus on achieving significant milestones. Our aim was to create scalability and accessibility for other brands looking to participate in the future.” said Lina G. Londono, Vice President of Sustainability at Debrand.
Continuing its commitment to driving innovation and bolstering infrastructure for a circular economy in the textiles industry, Eastman recently partnered with Patagonia to recycle 8,000 pounds of its unusable apparel.