Patagonia Drifter

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Patagonia Drifter SKU #7463117

Patagonia Microburst Ski Pants

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Patagonia Nanuq Jacket

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Patagonia Organic Cotton Jeans

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Taking Textiles Out of Landfills

The apparel and textile industries, while creating clothes for fashion-hungry consumers, are also among the largest creators of waste. Remnant fabrics and used clothing in Los Angeles account for up to 10 percent of trash clogging up landfills, according to city estimates. Several companies are saying enough is enough and have launched aggressive recycling programs.

Plug">http://www.himfr.com/buy-Plug_Cap/">Plug CapManufacturers such as Nike Inc. and Patagonia operate recycling programs for their own products. Now, another company, Soex Group, based in Wolfen, Germany, has set its sights on the entire industry.

The company recently opened a plant in Vernon, Calif., and a subsidiary, Soex West USA LLC, which is part of a pilot program to determine if the U.S. market is viable for its professional recycling business. So far, it looks like a go, said Michael Koelln, director of the U.S. operations.

The criteria are already there. Despite efforts by charitable organizations such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Goodwill, a large amount of clothing ends up in landfills. And even though the manufacturing base in California has contracted in recent years, the remaining apparel and textile producers still account for a good percentage of textile waste.

Putting a pair of old jeans back into use rather than in the dump can save valuable resources. One company estimated that it takes as much as 8,000 liters of water to grow the cotton used for just one pair of jeans.

Soex is one of the few large-scale professional recycling companies in business. While its aim is to make a profit, its primary objective is also to clean up the planet. The company’s mission statement is simple: zero waste.

Soex collects used clothing from charities and other sources and then distributes reusable clothing to Third World countries. It actually buys clothing that organizations like Goodwill and Salvation Army cannot sell for whatever reason. It sells the reusable clothing to merchants in Third World countries. Soex also accepts donations.

“It’s basically a penny business, said Koelln. “When it reaches the consumer in a Third World country, they can buy it for a dollar or so.”

Clothing that is damaged or otherwise unusable is recycled through high-tech machinery that transforms the fabric into products such as automobile insulation, blankets and underlay for carpets. The process is done without chemicals, water or toxins.

Soex developed the machines used to extract fibers from cut material. The machines, which have been modified several times by the company, use cutters and blowers to extract the fibers, with different machines used for specific fabrics. In the case of finished garments with hardware-like buttons and zippers, the process separates the fibers from the hardware, which fall through a filter.

Soex’s plant in Germany also operates on solar power. The plant in Germany handles more than 300 tons of fabric per day. The company’s employees are trained to sort clothing and materials using more than 400 criteria.

Despite its small profit margin, Soex has grown to operate a business with sales in the triple-digit millions, Koelln said. It takes $60 million to $80 million to build a new plant. Not many companies are equipped to make that investment or take the risk, Koelln noted. Over the past 25 years, Soex has built up a network of subsidiaries in 14 countries and employs more than 2,500 worldwide. Its infrastructure has enabled it to export used clothing around the world.

In Los Angeles, Koelln’s objective is to find a permanent home for a Soex plant. It currently operates in a 150,000-square-foot facility in Vernon, where sorting of incoming clothing takes place. It recycles the used product at a facility in Fresno, Calif. It recently secured another 150,000 square feet of space adjacent to its Vernon plant but eventually needs about 750,000 square feet for a permanent facility. Getting that kind of real estate in a very dense real estate market may be difficult, but Koelln hopes the city of Los Angeles or another entity could step in and help. A new facility can create as many as 1,000 new jobs, Koelln said.

In the meantime, Soex is working with the city to recover much of the clothing and textile waste that ends up in city-affiliated dumps. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has initiated a program that aims to recycle 70 percent of city waste by 2015. An estimated 10 percent or 112,000 tons per year of the waste is clothing.

The mayor’s plan is part of Los Angeles’ “Greenest and Cleanest Big City” program, which includes refuse recycling, a 1 million-tree-planting program, water conservation and energy-efficient construction. According to the mayor’s Web site, the city collects refuse, recyclables and yard waste from more than 750,000 households at an average of 6,600 tons per day. Los Angeles has a 62 percent solid-waste diversion rate, according to the Web site. The solid-waste conversion rate is the amount of solid waste that is diverted from landfills through recycling or reduction efforts. The mayor’s initiative calls for diverting up to 70 percent of the city’s garbage from landfills by 2015.

According to Koelln, Soex has proposed a program to the city of Los Angeles to enlist consumers in its recycling efforts. If approved, Los Angeles residents would be provided with large clear bags for waste clothing and textiles. The bags would then be deposited in city bins and Soex would collect them at the refuse-processing depot.

Soex also is targeting apparel manufacturers and importers. Some companies have old apparel stock that is second quality or consists of outdated styles. Others toss out tons of textile swatches a year that can otherwise be recycled, and excess materials left behind during cutting can also be used. All of it can be recycled, Koelln said.

Koelln pointed out that his company’s recycling process can also solve manufacturers’ problems such as what to do with written-off inventory.

Soex’s director, Hagop Ohanian, emphasized that the company is in business only because there is too much waste in the world.

Aside from Soex, companies such as Nike take old shoes and grind up the soles to make into new products. Patagonia gathers used fleece products from its customers and ships them off to Japan, where they are recycled into new fleece material.

Spartanburg, S.C.–based Martex Fiber Southern Corp. markets recycled yarns that can be used for sweaters, T-shirts, hats, socks and other woven products.

The company gets remnant fabric from apparel manufacturers and mixes it with a blend of 25 percent to 50 percent of staple fiber to create a product that is priced substantially lower than dyed cotton and comes in about 50 colors.

The product is marketed under its Eco2Cotton division and is used in yarns, fabrics and fiber for apparel, home furnishings and non-wovens.

“It’s being well-received in the eco market,” said Stefanie Zeldin, director of corporate marketing. “A lot of our customers are utilizing it to tell their own eco stories.” Zeldin said apparel-industry customers like the yarns because of the colors that can be achieved with recycled materials. “When you take cotton from a T-shirt that has already been dyed and washed, you get something that is very similar to blue cotton, so you get some beautiful heathers.”

The company has employed some type of recycling since its launch in 1970 and has been proactive in educating apparel manufacturers and others about reducing waste in their operations.

 

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Patagonia Men’s Wavefarer Board Shorts

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Patagonia Trinium Sandal

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Patagonia Toast And Jam Shoes

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Patagonia Talus Softshell Jacket

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The Technology Behind a Soft Shell

Patagonia Rhythm Retro

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Patagonia Winter Guide

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On Location August 2007 – Argentina and Chile

'Had I just entered an endless butterfly farm?' was my first thought upon disembarking the plane at Iguazu airport at the beginning of my trip around Argentina and Chile. Thousands of magnificently coloured butterflies - I knew I was in for something special.

Whilst checking into the Sheraton Hotel, I caught my first glimpse of the impressive falls and eagerly anticipated the opportunity to explore. Boarding the train to Garganta del Diablo (Devils throat falls), a 70 metre deep gorge where several branches of the Iguazu River converge into somewhat violently thundering waterfall, I watched the butterflies flutter in and out of the carriages.

Crossing over numerous boarded passages above the Parana River to the islands, I immediately appreciated just how vast the Iguazu National Park is, covering an estimated area of 550 km² with endless sub topical jungle and fauna. What a truly magical haven! I was extremely lucky to witness the falls in their full splendour following recent heavy rains in Brazil. It was hard to believe that on some occasions the falls almost disappear due to a lack of water.

Onward to Missiones, to find the landscape a vibrant red from the rich content of iron oxide in the earth. Here I spent time with the local Gurani people at Yacutinga Lodge. Considering it was winter in Argentina it was still fairly humid, yet very cool at night when I was grateful for the comfort of my log fire! During my stay at Yacutinga Lodge I undertook several excursions with my guide, Carlos, visiting the Capybara breeding programme and planting a sapling near the Capybara reserve, observing hummingbirds, morpho butterflies and also wildlife during our twilight jungle tour. Following an excellent day, I retreated to my cabin for a well-earned sleep, only to be unexpectedly accompanied by a rather nosey possum for the entire evening.

Leaving Iguazu, I flew back to Buenos Aires to attend the lavish Rojo Tango show at the Faena Hotel, an incredibly slick performance of lively song and dance, complete with excellent food and wine. Onwards to Bariloche, a small alpine-like city situated around Lake Nahuel Huapi in northern Patagonia with snow-capped peaks and an abundance of chocolatieres! From Bariloche I drove to San Martin de los Andes via the stunning seven lakes crossing boasting picturesque views across large lakes including Nahuel Huapi set amidst lush green forests and peaks. Located alongside the shores of Lake Lácar, San Martin de los Andes provides ample opportunities for those seeking adventure and relaxation including horse riding at a local estancia or simply dining in one of its countless brassieres.

My journey continued with a journey winding through the Andes onward to Chile, and around the base of the stunning Lanin Volcano towards Pucon where I observed the immigration officers undertaking their daily 'chore' of table tennis!

I boarded a flight from Valdivia airport to Calama, where I transferred to San Pedro de Atacama, an oasis in the desert.

The following morning I woke at sunrise trying to contain my excitement at being in the driest arid desert in the world. I visited Valle de la Muerte - Death Valley, not really known for this and just mispronounced by a French lady, which was staggering and gave me a true perception of how diverse the Atacama Desert can be in a relatively short distance.

I witnessed the most spectacular sunset I had ever seen or envisaged seeing, a true show of reds, purples, oranges and in amongst this outstanding performance were 4 species of flamingo grazing along the salt flats.

To say I had to pinch myself was a complete understatement. The following morning I rose early to witness the El Tatio geysers spurt steam from the ground in all their grandeur at minus 15 degrees, increasing at the rate of 28 degrees in one hour, thus a dip in the Puritama thermal springs en route back to San Pedro was very welcoming!

During the final stages of my journey I flew back across the Andes to Argentina, to the beautiful vineyards of Mendoza and bodegas that cover a vast area of land at the foot of the Andes. A perfect place to relax at the end my trip.

About the Author

Steppes Travel specialise in luxury holidays, and tailor made holidays

Jacket: Patagonia Reconnaissance

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