A Chennai-based clothing brand, Ecoline, is converting PET bottles into fashionable and sustainable clothing. They make t-shirts, blazers, jackets, and bottoms out of these bottles in order to recycle and reuse them. Even PM Narendra Modi was seen wearing one of their jackets at the G7 Summit in Japan.

An issue that appeared hard to be addressed was pursued as an opportunity by Senthil Sankar (Managing Director of Ecoline) and his father K. Sankar. Senthil and his father found the issue of plastic containers lying on roads and seas and wanted to do something to protect the environment. Hence, they established Ecoline to convert this waste into useful products. “Our brand focuses on promoting sustainable fashion and raising awareness about the environmental impact of discarded plastic,” said Senthil.

The brand utilizes creative methods and sustainable practices to make the best out of waste. Organic cotton and fibers from recycled PET bottles are combined to create a hybrid fabric for each piece. The most common way of making a piece of clothing begins with gathering bottles from families, businesses, and public spaces and compacting them into 3D shapes. “We have a network of 50,000 ragpickers across Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry who help us collect PET bottles,” asserts the Managing Director. Caps and wrappers are removed and the bottles are separated. They are then squashed into chips and dried to lessen dampness. The chips are liquefied in an extruder at high temperature and the liquid fiber is cooled. The obtained polyester fiber is stretched into yarn, which is then used to make fabric and tailor garments. Even though the process sounds complicated, it only takes six bottles to make one shirt, which can make a big difference.

Ecoline wants to break the myth that sustainable products are often highly-priced. It keeps its apparels affordable by using cost-effective manufacturing processes and reduces consumption of resources. The need for water is also eliminated due to the dope dyeing process adapted by the company.