The Truth About Recycled Polyester
In Fashion industry

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What Does “Recycled Polyester” Really Mean?

In recent years, recycled polyester (often labeled as rPET) has become one of the fashion industry’s favorite sustainability claims. From sportswear to luxury fashion, countless brands highlight their use of “recycled plastic bottles” as proof of environmental responsibility. But what does this actually mean, and how sustainable is it in reality?

Unlike natural fibers, recycled polyester is not derived from discarded clothing. Instead, the vast majority comes from post-consumer plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These bottles are mechanically shredded and melted into pellets, which are then spun into fibers used to manufacture textiles [1,2]. While this process does divert plastic from landfills temporarily, it does not address the larger issue: a linear system that transforms one form of plastic waste into another, equally problematic form [2].

Brands often use rPET as a marketing tool, associating it with circularity and eco-consciousness. Yet the truth is that transforming bottles into clothes shifts plastic from a closed-loop recycling system (bottle-to-bottle) into an open-loop system (bottle-to-textile). This means fewer bottles are available for true circular recycling in the packaging industry, and more plastic ends up entering oceans, soils, and even human bodies in the form of microfibers released during washing [3,4,5] .

The Hidden Limits of Recycling Polyester Clothing

When brands claim to use “recycled polyester,” many consumers assume this means old clothing is being collected, broken down, and transformed into new garments. In reality, textile-to-textile recycling is still extremely limited, especially when it comes to synthetic fibers.

One of the main obstacles is the complexity of blends. Most garments are not made of 100% polyester but are mixed with elastane, nylon, cotton, or acrylic. These blended fabrics are almost impossible to separate at scale with current technology, making effective textile recycling rare [6]. Even when garments are made of pure polyester, mechanical recycling degrades fiber quality, reducing strength and softness, which limits the number of times polyester can be recycled before it becomes waste [7].

Chemical recycling, often presented as a future solution, has shown some promise. This process uses solvents or depolymerization techniques to break polyester down into its base monomers, which can then be re-spun into new fibers. However, chemical recycling remains costly, energy-intensive and not yet scalable, with very few industrial facilities operating globally [8]. Moreover, chemical recycling often requires virgin inputs to stabilize fiber quality, which undermines the promise of a closed loop.

In practice, textile recycling is still more of an exception than the rule. Without significant investment in infrastructure, innovation, and policy, most polyester garments will continue to end up in landfills, incinerators, or as microplastics polluting ecosystems.

Microfibers and Human Health: Consequences od recycled polyester - rPET

Even when recycled polyester (rPET) is positioned as a sustainable alternative, it does not eliminate the problem of microfiber pollution. Every wash cycle of a synthetic garment releases tiny plastic particles that wastewater treatment plants cannot fully capture. Studies estimate that a single load of laundry can shed between 700,000 and 1 million fibers [9,10]. These fibers enter rivers, oceans, and even the atmosphere, where they are transported across ecosystems.

Microfibers derived from clothing have now been documented in marine life, drinking water, agricultural soils, and human tissues, including lungs, blood, and placental samples. Their ability to cross biological barriers raises serious health concerns. Once inside the body, microplastics can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and potential endocrine disruption, with long-term risks still under investigation [11,12,13,14,15].

Crucially, the recycling process does not change the fundamental properties of polyester—it remains a petrochemical-based plastic. Whether virgin or recycled, polyester garments shed microplastics throughout their life cycle. Even advanced technologies such as microfiber-catching filters or wastewater treatment upgrades can only partially reduce emissions; they cannot eliminate them entirely.

The Illusion of Recycled Polyester: Greenwashing Narratives

One of the main problems with recycled polyester (rPET) is not only technical but also discursive. Many fashion brands use rPET as the centerpiece of their sustainability marketing, presenting it as a miracle solution that transforms plastic waste into high-performance clothing. Slogans such as “Made from recycled bottles” or “Turning waste into fashion” are common across fast fashion and sportswear campaigns.

While it is true that rPET reduces reliance on virgin petroleum extraction, the narrative often overstates its benefits and hides its limitations. For example, most rPET used in apparel comes from post-consumer plastic bottles, not from textile-to-textile recycling [16]. This means that instead of being recycled into new bottles—a closed loop with high efficiency—these plastics are “downcycled” into clothing, where their recyclability is extremely limited. Once a bottle becomes a shirt, it is highly unlikely to be recycled again due to fiber blends, contamination, and lack of infrastructure [17].

However, this doesn’t mean organic farmers are completely free from all forms of exposure. Organic cotton cultivation allows the use of natural insecticides and herbicides—such as neem extract or plant-based oils—which are far less harmful than synthetic options. While generally safe, these substances may still cause mild and temporary effects like eye or skin irritation in certain conditions, especially if not handled with appropriate protective gear [12].

In practice, this creates a one-way funnel from bottles to landfills: bottles that could have been recycled multiple times in the packaging industry are instead diverted into textiles that will ultimately end up as waste.

The illusion deepens with the rise of “Sustainable collections” or “green labels” heavily marketed by fast fashion giants. Often, only a small percentage of their total output includes rPET, while the vast majority remains virgin polyester and other synthetics. This selective transparency allows brands to signal responsibility without addressing their overproduction models.

PET Bottles: Packaging vs Fashion

The debate around rPET becomes clearer when comparing the recycling potential of PET bottles in packaging versus fashion:

Real Alternatives: Beyond Recycled Polyester

The global fashion industry has celebrated recycled polyester (rPET) as a flagship solution, yet the reality is more complex. While rPET garments reduce the immediate need for virgin fossil fuels, they still pose challenges at the end of life, continuing to shed microplastics, resist biodegradation, and lack scalable recycling pathways. True alternatives must address not only material choice but also the systemic issue of overproduction and waste.

Textile-to-Textile Recycling

One genuine path forward is investing in fiber-to-fiber recycling technologies. Companies are developing processes to separate blended fabrics and recover pure polyester and cellulose fibers [19]. Unlike bottle-to-textile recycling, this approach could actually close the loop in the fashion system—though scalability remains limited due to high costs and technical barriers.

Biodegradable and Bio-Based Fibers

Another promising frontier is bio-based alternatives such as fibers derived from agricultural residues, algae, or mycelium. These materials are designed to biodegrade naturally at the end of their life, avoiding the persistence of synthetic microplastics. While not yet mainstream, brands are beginning to pilot these materials, demonstrating that circularity is possible when innovation prioritizes both function and planetary health.

Organic Cotton and Natural Fibers

Natural fibers such as organic Pima cotton, hemp, and linen already provide a scalable, proven alternative. Unlike polyester, they are renewable, biodegradable, and—when farmed organically—avoid toxic pesticide use. Studies confirm that organic cotton reduces water pollution impacts by over 90% compared to conventional systems [20]. Unlike synthetics, these fibers return safely to the earth without leaving plastic residue.

Natural Fibers Are the Real Future

Recycled polyester doesn’t solve fashion’s plastic problem—it disguises it. Turning bottles into clothes only shifts pollution from our tables to our closets, where microfibers quietly contaminate our bodies and ecosystems.

At AYA, we refuse shortcuts. No recycled polyester. No false circularity. Just 100% organic Pima cotton—grown, spun, and sewn in Peru. Because the future of fashion cannot be built on petrochemicals, but on honesty, responsibility, and fibers that truly return to the earth.

Recycled polyester is not a breakthrough; it’s a marketing loophole. Until fashion abandons plastics altogether, every “green” collection is only another shade of greenwashing.

Authors & Researchers

Jordy Munarriz

Environmental Engineer with a master's degree in renewable energy and a specialization in sustainability. Researcher and writer, he combines his technical knowledge with his passion for environmental communication, addressing topics of ecological impact and sustainable solutions in the textile industry and beyond.