Teijin Expands Its Recyclable-Poly Concept to China’s Uniform Market
The Teijin Group launched a new program in China to collect and recycle used uniforms in a closed-loop system to create chemically recycled polyester yarns.
The uniforms will be collected and sent to Teijin Fibers’ Matsuyama plant in Japan for chemical decomposition. Teijin’s Eco Circle closed-loop process converts the uniforms into a polyester raw material that is then turned into a polyester yarn to be made into new recyclable products. Teijin Fibers’ chemically recyclable polyester fiber will be woven and dyed by Nantong Teijin Co. Ltd., a Teijin Group company located in Nantong on the east coast of China.
According to Teijin, repeated recycling through its Eco Circle system reduces both energy consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions compared with conventional petroleum-based polyester production processes.
The program was launched in collaboration with agriculture companies Shandong Asahi Green Source Hi-Tech Farm Co. Ltd. and Shandong Asahi Green Source Milk Products Co. Ltd. About 200 employees from the two companies received high-warmth uniforms made from Teijin Fibers’ recyclable textiles. Both companies are subsidiaries of Asahi Group Holdings.
Tokyo-based Teijin is working with more than 150 international apparel and sportswear manufacturers—including Patagonia Inc., Henri Lloyd, Quiksilver Europe and Li Ning—to develop products made from recyclable materials, as well as to collect and recycle these products. The company recently expanded the recyclable-polyester concept to the uniform business.
“With environmental consciousness steadily rising in China, Teijin is witnessing a growing interest in its Eco Circle program,” said Hirotaka Nakagawa, president of Nantong Teijin. “We will continue to pursue and expand our environmental initiatives in this fast-growing market.”
For more information, visit www.teijin.co.jp/english.—A.A.N.
