As a perfect example of circular economy, Dubai-based company ‘DGrade’ recycles PET bottles into clothing.

The menace of plastic pollution in our world is no news for us. DGrade has employed ‘Greenspun Technology’ and evolved a process to take PET bottles and convert them into its trademarked ‘Greenspun yarn’ with least impact on the environment. Plastic bottles are washed and cleaned, before shredding them into plastic chips. The chips are then melted and drawn into fibre, which is spun into its trademarked Greenspun yarn that is woven as fabric which is finally used for various end uses.

The yarn is used to produce textiles that are further stitched into a wide variety of apparel like shirts and trousers; accessories such as caps and face masks; luggage items like backpacks and carry bags; as well as home furnishing items such as blankets and towels. The yarn can be treated further to achieve technical specifications like microbe resistance, UV resistance, stain repellence, water resistance and flame retardancy. Products can also printed and customized with logos and designs.

Their recycling initiative ‘Simply Bottles’ partners with local government and private organizations, events, and schools to collect bottles to serve as raw material for their products. They also create awareness through workshops, seminars, and desert clean-up drives.

DGrade’s products have received due recognition in UAE as well as internationally, and the venture has bagged many awards bagged. A collection and recycling drive for the Formula 1 race at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, resulted in staff uniforms made from the plastic bottles collected at the event! As an official Expo 2020 partner, DGrade T-Shirts with the Expo logo were put on sale at the Expo sustainability pavilion.

It is relevant to mention that for upcycling plastic into yarn, DGrade has developed and adopted processes that cause minimal impact on the environment. They claim that as compared to convention new polyester yarn production, their product is 50% more energy efficient, utilizes 20% less water and produces 55% lower carbon emissions. Furthermore, Greenspun yarn does not use any oil in its manufacture.

I look forward to more such initiatives that lead us to circular economy in every aspect of life. 

For more details about DGrade, are available on their website

https://dgrade.com/