Plans are under way to develop a wetsuit recycling facility in the UK.
Wetsuits, which are typically made from neoprene, are traditionally challenging to recycle – but the new project funded by the Future Fibres Network Plus aims to change that situation.
Future Fibres Network Plus, which is looking to bring environmental science into the heart of the UK fashion, clothing, and textile sectors, is a cohort led by the University of Exeter. It is run in collaboration with the universities of Leeds, Huddersfield and Plymouth, University of the Arts London, and the UK Fashion and Textile Association.
Led by the University of Plymouth and working with industry partner Circular Flow, the wetsuit recycling project will analyse the potential for a UK neoprene processing site to help make the surfing and diving industries more sustainable. Circular Flow already has a facility in Bulgaria.
Emma Major-Mudge, head of sales & commercial partnerships at Circular Flow, commented: “Many of those who buy and wear wetsuits have a genuine interest in the environment, and therefore in the sustainability of these products.
“However, wetsuits are one of the hardest products to recycle and the possibility of opening a recycling facility in the UK is very exciting.”
Last year, B Corp retailer Finisterre recognised the environmental impact of neoprene and began offering Yulex wetsuits for hire as an alternative option for its customers. The idea was to make Yulex wetsuits, which are made from a natural rubber, accessible to more surfers and body-boarders.
Dr Kayleigh Wyles, associate professor in environmental psychology at the University of Plymouth and project lead, noted: “Our project will investigate the level of interest among UK businesses for returning end-of-life wetsuits and accessories to a UK facility where they can be turned into new and useful products.
“We also aim to understand consumers’ willingness to purchase and wear recycled neoprene products, and explore the logistics of developing a recycling facility.”
The neoprene recycling project is one of the eight mini projects newly funded by the Future Fibres Network. Through its flexible fund, a total of £1 million is being directed towards initiatives including ‘Fabriotic’ which aims to give athletics clothing a longer life, and ‘UP’ which will map and assess how used textiles are sorted and graded in the UK, and evaluate what textiles are required by key organisations that reuse or recycle them.
[image credit: Green Retail World]
