Clothing Made From Recycled Plastic: How It Works and Who’s Doing It

Most people now know we have a plastic problem in the oceans. About 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s oceans every year, threatening marine life and ecosystems. If that trend continues, scientists predict there could be more plastic in the oceans than fish by weight by 2050. We’ve all seen reusable bottles and bags reduce single‑use plastic a little, but recycling and reusing plastic in new ways is an essential part of tackling this issue. One of the more visible and creative solutions is turning recycled plastic into clothing and accessories.

How Recycled Plastic Gets Turned Into Fabric

Turning waste plastic into wearable textiles is a real industrial process, and it goes something like this:

1. Collect and sort
   Plastic bottles and other PET plastics are collected from recycling streams and sorted by type.
2. Clean
   Labels, caps and contaminants are removed, and the plastic is washed thoroughly.
3. Shred into flakes
   The clean plastic is shredded into small flakes.
4. Melt and pelletise
   Those flakes are melted and formed into tiny resin pellets.
5. Extrude into fibres
   The pellets are heated and extruded through spinnerets (tiny holes) to form continuous polyester or nylon fibres.
6. Spin into yarn
   The fibres are cooled and stretched into yarns that can be knit or woven into fabric.
7. Make clothing
   Finally, fabric is cut and sewn into garments for everything from swimwear and activewear to jackets and shoes.

This process lets recycled plastic avoid landfill or the ocean, and gives it a second life as a textile.

Brands Making Clothing From Recycled Plastic

Here’s a look at brands doing this, what they make, and how they use recycled materials:

Girlfriend Collective

One of the most recognised names in recycled‑plastic apparel, Girlfriend Collective makes activewear like leggings, sports bras, tops and outerwear from recycled polyester (from post‑consumer water bottles) and recycled nylon (from fishing nets). Each pair of classic leggings can contain the equivalent of dozens of recycled bottles.

Patagonia

This outdoor brand has been a leader in recycled clothing for decades. Patagonia introduced fleece from recycled plastic bottles as early as the 1990s and now uses recycled polyester and nylon in jackets, pullovers, insulated gear and accessories.

Veja (and Other Footwear)

French brand Veja makes sneakers using fabric panels built from recycled plastic bottles. It can take about three bottles to make the mesh in a pair of trainers.
Similarly, Rothy’s turns recycled bottles into knit uppers for flats and sneakers using a process that melts and spins the plastic into yarn before knitting it into shoe fabrics.

Adidas x Parley

Adidas partners with Parley for the Oceans to turn plastic ocean debris into fabrics used in sportswear and footwear. The Adidas Parley range includes shoes and clothing made with recycled plastic collected before it reaches the sea.

Batoko

A British swimwear brand using ocean plastics to create swimwear and kids’ pieces with bold, colourful designs—all made from recycled plastics rescued from waterways.

H&M (Bottle2Fashion Initiative)

H&M’s Bottle2Fashion project collects plastic waste and turns it into recycled polyester used in range collections, including hoodies, T shirts, trousers and joggers.

O’Neill, Stella McCartney, G Star Raw and Others

Surf wear brand O’Neill uses recycled yarns like Econyl and Repreve made from ocean waste in leggings and tops. Designer Stella McCartney incorporates recycled bottles and fishing nets in accessories and apparel. Dutch denim label G Star Raw uses Bionic Yarn (from ocean plastics) in its collections.

What This Means for the Planet and You

Clothing made from recycled plastic isn’t a silver bullet. These fabrics still shed microplastics when washed, and recycling plastic into clothes doesn’t replace the need to reduce plastic use overall. But it does reduce demand for new petroleum derived materials and keeps waste out of landfills and oceans.

When you choose recycled plastic clothing, you’re supporting a market that values reuse and accountability in material sourcing.

What to Avoid: Greenwashing and Misleading Labels

Not all “sustainable” clothing is truly eco-friendly. Watch out for:
• Vague claims – Terms like “eco,” “green,” or “sustainable” without clear certification or material breakdown.
• Partial recycling – Some garments may only contain a tiny percentage of recycled material but market themselves as fully recycled.
• No transparency – Brands that don’t show their supply chain or sourcing methods may be overstating their impact.
• Fast fashion labels – Even if a product contains recycled materials, producing cheap, high-volume garments can negate environmental benefits.

Check for certifications like GRS (Global Recycled Standard), OEKO-TEX, or verified recycled material programs like ECONYL or Repreve.

Call to Action: What You Can Do

If you’re thinking about updating your wardrobe or writing about sustainable fashion, here are a few practical actions your readers can take:

• Check labels for recycled content (look for recycled polyester, recycled nylon or rPET).
• Support brands with transparent supply chains and clear environmental commitments.
• Wash synthetic clothes less often and use a microfibre filter on your washing machine to reduce microplastic shedding.
• Reduce overall plastic use by choosing reusable bottles, bags and packaging where possible.
• Buy less but better: quality garments made from recycled materials can last longer and have a smaller environmental footprint.

Reducing plastic waste and choosing recycled materials in clothing are steps we can all take to lessen our impact on the planet.