Recycled, Not Reduced: The Rise of Sustainable Nylons and Polyesters in Outdoor Gear

For rugged, durable outdoor gear, we’ve relied on synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester. These materials have lots of great properties for outdoor use, like water resistance and tensile strength, and are relatively inexpensive. 

However, these benefits come at a frustrating environmental cost. Among common clothing fibers, traditional nylon production has one of the highest climate change impacts per kilogram. Additionally, synthetic fibers release microplastics through wear and laundering, which research indicates accounts for approximately 9% of the global annual microplastic pollution in the oceans.

The Problem with Traditional Synthetics

Nylon and polyester are petroleum-based plastics. Essentially, they are oil spun into threads and woven into a fabric. While infinitely useful and inexpensive, we know that plastics are also terrible for the environment.  

Nylon production is particularly energy-intensive, leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions in addition to leaking microplastics into the ocean. Washing synthetic fabrics releases microfibres into water systems, which are not effectively filtered out by wastewater treatment plants. Eventually, these get into the ocean and other water supplies. ​

How Recycled Nylon and Polyester Are Made

Recycled polyester is commonly produced from used plastic bottles. The process involves cleaning, melting, and re-spinning the plastic into new fibers, resulting in a fabric that performs like virgin polyester but requires less energy to produce and diverts plastic waste from landfills. It’s not a perfect solution, but conservatively, it reduces the impact of polyester garment production by 32%.

Recycled nylon production is more complex. For instance, Econyl is made by reclaiming nylon waste—such as old fishing nets, carpet fluff, and industrial plastics—and regenerating it into high-quality yarn. This process not only reuses waste but also restores nylon to its original purity, which means it can be recycled many more times. 

Performance of Recycled Fabrics

The newest tests have found that recycled polyester maintains the durability, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying properties that make the fabric so useful for outdoor and activewear. 

Similarly, tests of recycled nylons like Econyl are able to offer comparable tensile strength, resistance to abrasions, and other durability features that make it suitable for use in a range of outdoor applications including climbing gear and backpacks. 

In both cases, the recycled materials perform comparably to their virgin counterparts, but allow for a more sustainable supply chain.

Fenri's Commitment to Sustainability 

At Fenri, we are currently in the research and development phase, rigorously testing our prototypes to ensure they meet the high-quality and durability standards our customers expect from premium outdoor gear. 

Whether trekking up a mountain or camping under the stars, our commitment to rugged, high-performance products is unwavering, even as we explore innovative uses of recycled nylons and polyesters.

Advancing a Circular Economy

We see recycled fabrics as being a first pivotal step toward a circular economy in the textile industry. Especially for outdoor clothing and gear, more natural materials simply don’t have the properties to compete with synthetic fibers. So, our approach emphasizes reusing materials, reducing the need for virgin resources, and minimizing waste where we can.

Looking Ahead

Transitioning to recycled materials is a tangible step toward sustainability in the outdoor gear industry. At Fenri, we are proud to contribute to this shift, with a plan to offer products that continue to meet the rigorous performance standards we set for ourselves, while being much better for the environment. We hope embracing recycled nylons and polyesters is just the first step as we aim to reduce more waste and reuse more kinds of materials for better outdoor products over time.