Embroidery is a relatively polluting method of clothing customization.
Although they don't have many components and there isn't a very large waste, the waste that exists - backing - is not recyclable.
The thread we use for embroidery is made of polyester and is recyclable, but it has very little waste, if any. Where it's not eco-friendly is in the creation of the thread itself since the threads are made from polyester.
But the biggest issue lies in the stabilizer. Being made of a fabric blend, neither an ecological solution nor a recycling solution has been found to date. The excess material is considered general waste.
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Although we can't do anything about the interfacing (and believe me, we've tried many times), we can minimize the pollution created in our activity through the embroidery threads. Through our partners, we now have access to recycled embroidery threads.
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The Polyneon Green threads are manufactured using recycled bottles (PET). The recycling process gives post-consumer waste a second life in vibrant colors. By reusing existing materials, no new waste is created, and non-renewable resources are saved.
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What is the process?
- We take recycled plastic bottles.
- The polyester is transformed into flakes.
- From the flakes, they are transformed back into pellets.
- Finally, the pellets are heated and transformed into yarn.
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With the yarn ready, we have a new recycled embroidery thread.
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Did you know that it takes up to 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose, but it never truly disappears?
Recycling and reusing have become vital. Everyone can play their part in the solution, and here at Maudlin Merchandise, we've been taking steps to become more sustainable, with this being yet another small step in this long journey.
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This thread is currently in a testing phase and is not yet being used as a standard in all orders.
If you want your work to be produced using eco-friendly threads, be sure to talk to your sales representative.
