Reusable bag supplier partners with Selfridges to launch garment covers made with recycled plastic bottles
Worcestershire-based reusable bag supplier Jutexpo has helped Selfridges to become the first retailer in the world to supply customers with garment covers made from recycled plastic bottles.
The covers have been made using Jutexpo’s HALT process to recycle plastic bottles into fabric.
The garment covers, given to customers as a complimentary gift with items such as high-end suits, dresses and coats, are available in small, medium and large and each one is made using seven, eight and 12 plastic bottles respectively.
They have been rolled out in-store since the beginning of January and are now available in all Selfridges stores.
It is anticipated that the first six months of garment covers will result in more than 222,000 plastic bottles being recycled from post-consumer waste.
Daniella Vega, Selfridges sustainability director, said: “As signatories to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Global Commitment on plastics, Selfridges is delighted to support new innovation that slows plastic pollution – and this garment bag is a great way of sharing this message with our customers and brand partners.”
The HALT process turns the bottles into a durable and practical fabric called rPet, short for recycled polyethylene terephthalate, which is strong, durable and can be wiped clean.
Robbie McGregor, director of Jutexpo, based at Lauriston Business and Technology Park, Salford Priors, said: “As far as we are aware, this is the first time in the world that post-consumer plastic bottles have been used to create garment covers, reducing plastic waste and giving plastic bottles another useful purpose rather than ending up in landfill, incineration and uncontrollable waste streams.
“We are delighted to be working with Selfridges on this project, which is tackling the issues around plastic bottles and the ways in which they can be repurposed in a meaningful way.”
Jutexpo was set up by father and son Barrie and Sam Turner after they spotted a gap in the market for reusable bags made out of Jute to minimise plastic bag usage.
It also supplies bags made from Juco, an increasingly popular finer weave option which is made up of a blend of 75% jute and 25% cotton.
Jutexpo has produced 80 million reusable bags since the company was formed in 2002.
