French sporting goods chain Decathlon has joined forces with Belgian textile recycling company Resortecs to introduce a sustainable swimwear collection aimed at addressing the challenges of recycling swimwear fabrics. The primary hurdle in recycling swimwear has been the high elastane content in the fabrics, as elastane cannot be separated from the yarns and recycled. In response, Decathlon has developed Negombo, a recyclable fabric that maintains elasticity without the need for elastane.
However, the presence of elastic bands in swimwear design has posed another obstacle to recycling, as these bands cannot be processed by recyclers and hinder the recycling process. This is where Resortecs steps in. Resortecs utilizes its Smart Stitch technology, featuring thermally dissolvable sewing threads, in combination with the Smart Disassembly solution. This combination enables the efficient separation of elastic bands from the main fabric at the end of the garment’s lifecycle.
Acerina Trejo Machin, Chief Technology Officer at Resortecs, highlighted the effectiveness of their disassembly process, stating: “Resortecs’ active disassembly process maximizes the recyclability of swimwear. Our technology enables fully automated dismantling without manual intervention at a rate of up to ten tonnes per day. This results in an impressive 63 percent increase in material recovery and is ten times faster than conventional methods.”
The collaboration between Decathlon and Resortecs represents a significant step toward enhancing the sustainability of swimwear production and promoting circularity in the textile industry.
