Aquafil’s Econyl sustainable nylon yarn created from recycled fishing nets

Aquafil, leading players, both in Italy and globally, in the production of synthetic fibres and polyamide 6: a landmark in terms of quality and product innovation has announced a unique partnership with Outerknown, a new menswear apparel brand founded by eleven times World Champion surfer Kelly Slater who creates clothing brand that seamlessly blends function and style, while establishing sustainable manufacturing processes across its supply chain. The new brand incorporates Aquafil’s Econyl sustainable nylon is created from domesticated fishing nets and other nylon waste materials in its debut collection.

Giulio Bonazzi, CEO of Aquafil said that their partnership with Outerknown was born out of a shared vision and ambition for sustainable change. Outerknown came to them with the goal of manufacturing nylon products that were not only made entirely of regenerated materials, but that would be endlessly regenerative without any loss in quality. This goes beyond the typical use of recycled materials and puts Outerknown on the cutting edge of sustainable fashion.

According to Aquafil, Outerknown’s first collection launched on July 15, 2015 and features the Evolution Series jackets and board shorts made with Econyl brand regenerated nylon yarns. Econyl is said to offer the same quality and performance as traditionally manufactured nylon but with incredible environmental benefits. The fibre is made from reclaimed waste and can be recycled an infinite number of times without any loss in quality.

Econyl helps divert global waste streams from landfills and oceans through the recovery of abandoned fishing nets and other discarded nylon waste materials, the company adds. The recovered nylon waste is processed through Aquafil’s Econyl Regeneration System and the resulting yarn is shipped to Outerknown’s global supply chain where it is converted into the first-grade nylon textiles used in Outerknown’s Evolution Series.

Outerknown will also be available at select premium retailers around the globe including Ron Herman, Mr Porter and Selfridges.

Aquafil’s collaboration with Outerknown builds on its legacy and commitment to ocean and marine life preservation. The company will continues to find new and resourceful ways to recover post-consumer nylon waste by engaging in various impactful global environmental programs, such as the Healthy Seas Initiative and Net-works.

The programs aim to spread awareness of ocean conservation issues and protect marine life through recovery of abandoned fishing nets. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), there are currently more than 640,000 tons of abandoned fishing nets in the oceans. These abandoned nets lead to the problem of “ghost fishing,” when derelict fishing nets remain adrift, capturing whales, turtles, birds and other marine animals.

The Aquafil Group has a presence in eight countries on three continents, employing more than 2,400 staff at 15 plants located in Italy, Germany, Scotland, Slovenia, Croatia, the USA, Thailand and China.

Additionally, the Group is a leader in the research of new production models for sustainable development. This commitment to research and development leads to the regular renewal of processes and products thanks to continuous investments of capital and knowledge.