The difference between a recycled material and a reprocessed material

Many people believe there is no difference between recycled and reprocessed materials, but this is simply not true. The difference isn't huge, but it's worth clarifying.

Recycled Material

A garment made from recycled materials is produced from pre-existing waste that has been collected, sorted, and transformed into new fibers or fabrics. This process can include recycling plastic bottles, old clothing, or industrial textile waste. The main objective is to reduce waste and minimize the use of virgin resources.

Recycling materials brings several benefits such as waste reduction, reduced resource consumption and reduced environmental impact.

Retransformed Matter

Clothing made from reprocessed materials comes from textiles or fibers that have been recovered and reused without being completely broken down into raw materials. This includes, for example, recovering fabric scraps from clothing manufacturing or reusing old clothing to create new designs.

Reprocessing materials brings several benefits such as creatively reusing waste, preserving the integrity of fibers, and reducing energy impact.

Here are the main differences:

• Process : Recycling involves breaking down raw materials, whereas reprocessing involves reusing materials as is or with minimal modification.

• Environmental impact: Both processes are environmentally friendly, but they differ in their approach to reducing waste and energy consumption.

• Quality of the final product: Reprocessed materials may retain a quality closer to the original, while recycled materials may lose some quality due to decomposition and reassembly.

Choosing between a garment made from reprocessed or recycled materials depends on your priorities for sustainability and quality. Both approaches play a crucial role in reducing the fashion industry's environmental impact. Understanding these differences will help you better support more sustainable and responsible fashion.