Recycling clothing? Who knew! No, I’m not talking about taking your used clothing down to the local Salvation Army to donate. I’m talking about actually recycling existing cotton and polyester fibers into new yarn and fabric. This practice is new and innovating, as well as an exciting revelation. Cotton and Polyester are the two most produced fibers worldwide. Being able to recycle these fibers is another great way to boost sustainability in our environment. Can you imagine how much could be diverted from landfills worldwide?

There is a bit of a difference when recycling these two fibers. Polyester fiber recycling produces a higher quality fiber then cotton does. Polyester is able to maintain the same quality post recycling as it had in its original state. Don’t get me wrong, cotton is still very recyclable but the end product is a lesser quality than the original fiber. That fact may seem a bit discouraging at first glance, but the 2nd generation fibers don’t have to be used for clothing necessarily. I’ve actually seen one company recycle jeans into natural cotton fiber insulation. Pretty neat!

I can’t wait to see how this new concept impacts the recycling industry. There aren’t many locations or facilities that do the actual fiber recycling yet (in comparison to cans/bottles/paper facilities), but I bet more and more places will start popping up in the near future. It always warms the heart when new ideas arise that will help preserve our precious earth. Post by Liz.

Welcome to FRG's FrogBlog!

Everyone has something to say about being sustainable these days, as do we here at FRG. We know experience speaks volumes and we've been speaking sustainable solutions for diverting waste and recycling since way back in 1996. We're so fortunate to have headquarters in the Napa Valley where our sustainable, cost-saving programs for the waste-services industry are created. Happy surroundings inspire great ideas!

The objective of our blog is to talk about the latest and greatest information about green technology in the solid-waste industry and to share important updates about this fast-paced industry that we're so passionate about here at FRG. Stay tuned for a lot more and thanks for visiting!