From Hiking, camping to cycling. Every sport requires proper gear and one brand that has it all is Decathlon.
With their wide range of sportswear and gears at affordable rates, they have become heaven for every sports lover. But often fashion is not sustainable and harms the environment deeply. Decathlon has come forward with its eco-design to promote sustainable fashion and to play its part in saving the environment
Eco-design is a way of designing products in a better way. The aim is to integrate the environment in the mindset while designing the products. Their first step in making sustainable fashion is to design quality products which last for years and years because the more the clothing piece will last, the more sustainable it will be.
Have you ever imagined that the plastic water bottle that you threw away could ever be converted into clothes? Decathlon is doing just that. They claim that by making mountain fleece, they give a second life to almost 39 million plastic bottles every year. In short, that one mountain fleece that you own is made up using 9 plastic bottles. With constant efforts, the Decathlon is fully committed to making sustainable fashion to trend.
The commitment to save the planet by Decathlon
The biggest part of their work involves manufacturing things which definitely has an impact on the environment. Their commitment to making sustainable fashion made them think about designing products using sustainable practices which came into action by using different components and changing some factory processes. Their work gave birth to the eco-design which not just saves the planet but is also breathable, lightweight, compact, and most importantly warm. The mountain hiking fleece is made from 75% recycled material.
By the year 2026, Decathlon is committed to eco-design 100% of their products.
Evolution from plastic bottles to recycled polyester
In the textile products of Decathlon, the most commonly used fiber is polyester. The polyester used is not virgin but sustainable which decreases CO2 impact. Sustainable polyester is nothing but recycled polyester which is made by recycling waste plastic bottles.
First of all, all the waste bottles are collected; the bottles which are collected at the factory are then washed and crushed, converting bottles into flakes. After charging the flakes, the process of polymerization takes place. The plastic chips are subjected to high temperature in an enclosed system converting them into textile yarn. This is used to make fabric and garments.
The benefit of recycled polyester
Recycled polyester has great environmental benefits. Starting with the basics, since, the wasted plastic bottles are recycled so it helps in the reduction of landfills of plastic. It not just reduces the consumption of petrochemical but also results in CO2 reduction.
Working on the motto of ‘sport for all’, decathlon makes sustainable fashion accessible to many. They get the credit to make sports fun, affordable, and sustainably fashionable.
Eco-design principles
They don’t stop at just recycling plastic waste but also use many other methods to reduce the waste of natural resources.
Dope dyeing
Colors are most important in fashion and the process of textile dyeing requires a large amount of water and also generates water waste. Dope dyeing is a method of textile dyeing to reduce the environmental impact. In other words, dope dyeing is solution dyeing in which color pigments are integrated during the manufacturing of the thread itself.
Organic cotton
The cotton is grown organically without the use of any chemicals. It helps in preserving the fertility of the soil and also reduces the risk of polluting the groundwater.
Decathlon is playing its part in reducing the generated plastic waste by recycling, it is our duty also to reduce the use of single-use plastic and generate less waste.
Make your shift from fast fashion to sustainable fashion, Get your eco-designed gears on and get ready for your next adventure!
If you loved this story, read a story about how Purav Desai – An innovator and the co-founder of Cupable, Making smart packaging from crop waste that is IOT-enabled and recyclable
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