The Duty to Create an Eco-Sustainable Product: Innovation and Tradition in the Prato District

There's a lot of talk about environmental sustainability these days, so much so that the project put forward by the European Community with the Strasbourg Treaty of January 14, 2020, supported by a massive economic investment plan, is the most ambitious of all the continents: to achieve zero emissions of pollutants by 2050.

This is a tremendously ambitious goal, and it's unclear whether it can actually be achieved. But as with all goals, we should commit ourselves and contribute with all our strength to achieving it. Much will depend on global political will, but in our own small way, we can contribute to the best of our ability, as individuals and as companies.

Prato: Innovation and Tradition in Textiles

Prato, with its ingenuity and enthusiasm, has always exploited pre- and post-consumer textile waste to recreate high-quality yarns and fabrics.

In the 1930s, when the cost of raw materials was prohibitive, Prato began using textile waste out of necessity.

Subsequently, thanks to the technology and experience acquired, over the years it has contributed to eliminating tons of waste that would otherwise have been incinerated, thus significantly reducing emissions of polluting particles.

The Art of Sorting and Recycling

We want to show how the painstaking process of sorting textile waste can transform a product into something unique.

The dedication and expertise in identifying different fibers by touch, flame, and appearance are the hallmarks of those who, with dedication, have handled tons of textile materials from around the world. They have cleaned, selected, and reused them with specific additional processes to return them to the production cycle.

An increasingly rare workforce, born in the past when young people helped their families sort rags in their garages. This family context shaped the strength of the Prato textile industry, which today has lost its strength and influence in the context of globalized politics.

The Sorting Phase

The sorting collects all textile waste without distinction, from pre-consumer to post-consumer.

Pre-consumer waste is that which cannot be reintroduced into the production cycle without prior selection or processing to make it workable again.

Post-consumer waste comes from the collection of used and discarded clothing and textiles.

The sorting process divides textile waste into different categories:

• Natural fibers

• Artificial

• Synthetic

• Mixed

• By color

• Real waste

The first five categories, once classified, undergo mechanical (cutting, fraying, garnetting, beating) and chemical (washing, carbonization, dyeing, depigmentation) processes to be reused in spinning.

The resulting fibres can be used pure or mixed with new fibres, following the carding, combing and spinning cycle until the finished garment is created.

The actual waste, on the other hand, is subjected to cutting, grinding and shredding, and subsequently to processes such as compaction, depolymerization, pyrolysis and extraction of organic and oily substances, to be reused in other areas.

Commitment to a Sustainable Future

It's every artisan's duty to refine their techniques for recycling and reusing textile scraps, regardless of certification. This not only reduces waste, but also lays the foundation for a more sustainable future.

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Note:

Leader Tops: Production of 100% recycled tops from primary waste: 58,000 kg intended for use as knitting yarn. Base year: 2023.

Our commitment is to contribute to a more sustainable world, ensuring a better future for future generations.