Are you someone who likes to understand how a product is made before it reaches you?
At Kochartex, we do not shy away from sharing our process and certifications with our customers. So, let’s begin by walking you through the process behind one of our favourite products, “sustainable wool”. It is circular in nature and designed to save thousands of litres of water; it truly stands as a friend to the environment.
Is Wool Sustainable?
To answer that widely asked question, yes! Wool is sustainable and has some traits that make it naturally sustainable. Key features that make it sustainable are
- Anti-Microplastic and Circular in Nature
Wool in its natural form does not contain microplastics. Microplastics are found to be extremely harmful to both human beings and the environment. Even the smallest percentage of plastic in any commodity, be it fabrics for that matter, is going to outlive humans. Its impact on the environment is huge. Wool, in this aspect, is gentle to both humans and the environment.
To make this even better, Kochartex is RWS certified, which means the wool Kochartex sources is even gentler to the bearing animal. They are treated with utmost respect.
- Easy to Recycle and Regenerate
Wool is easy to recycle and regenerate. Existing wool garments can be recycled into new woollen fabrics with ease. Doing so is going to reduce the demand for virgin wool. This makes two things possible: one, the life of existing fibre increases, which results in less waste production, and secondly, it will cut down water usage that is required to process virgin wool.
Since recycled wool is already dyed, regenerating new fabrics from pre- and post-consumer waste will eliminate harsh bleaching and redying steps, saving energy costs, all while delivering beautiful, sustainable wool.
How Does Kochartex Manufacture Its Sustainable Wool?
The process of recycling and curating sustainable wool at Kochartex can be broken down into broad segments.
1.Sourcing Post-Consumer Wool
The journey of forming our sustainable wool starts with bales of discarded wool clothing. These post-consumer garments come sorted in different colour shades, which allows us to reduce or eliminate the need for re-dyeing.
2. Cutting of Trims
After we are done carefully picking these garments, the next step is the removal of trims, buttons, zippers, labels, and any non-wool elements. This step is done to ensure that only pure, recyclable wool moves forward in the process.
3. Two Recycling Routes: Spinning vs Non-Woven
After trims are removed, the materials now enter two separate recycling pathways. This segregation is based on fibre length and end use:
A. Spinning Route
Spinning Route or Closed-Loop Recycling is a route where the fibres can stay their same length, making them perfect for spinning into new yarn. The fibres are processed and turned back into raw material, and then spun into yarn again. This yarn can now be woven or knitted into fresh woollen garments. This process is called closed-loop recycling, as old wool re-enters the same product cycle, garment back to garment with increased lifespan.
B. Non-Woven Route
Non-Woven Route, or the Open-Loop Recycling that it is called, involves shorter fibres to follow the non-woven route, where they are repurposed into a range of high-utility products such as: Thermal insulation, Acoustic insulation, Mattress padding. This is open-loop recycling, where wool fibres move into different industries while still reducing waste and environmental impact.
Kochartex’s Sustainable Practices Behind Sustainable Wool
Our sustainable wool manufacturing process is backed by environmentally responsible practices, elaborated as follows:
- To reduce water usage, we operate low-liquor-ratio dyeing machinery and reuse treated water through our in-house ETP system.
- 25% of our energy requirement is met through rooftop solar PV installations, which are also in house and we also are transitioning toward cleaner fuels.
These initiatives ensure that our circular wool production is supported by a low-impact, resource-efficient manufacturing environment.
FAQs
Q1. What is sustainable wool?
Sustainable wool is simply wool produced through environmentally responsible practices, including ethical animal treatment, low-impact processing, and recycling of pre- and post-consumer wool garments to reduce waste and water usage.
Q2. Is wool biodegradable?
Yes, pure wool is 100% biodegradable. It naturally breaks down in soil within a few years, returning valuable nutrients to the earth without releasing microplastics.
Q3. What does RWS certification mean?
RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) ensures that the wool comes from farms where animals are treated humanely, land is managed responsibly, and supply chain practices are transparent and traceable.
Q4. How does the recycling of wool reduce the usage of water?
Since recycled wool is already dyed, it is easier to recycle it without bleaching and re-dyeing it. When combined with low-liquor-ratio dyeing machinery and water reuse systems at Kochartex, water usage is further reduced.
Q5. What products can be made out of sustainable wool?
Sustainable wool can be used to create a wide range of items, including woven and knitted apparel, blankets, upholstery fabrics, non-woven insulation materials, mattress padding, and more.
Q6. Is sustainable wool good for large-scale manufacturing?
Yes. Recycling pathways and colour-sorted sourcing allow sustainable wool to be produced on a large scale, all while keeping environmental impact minimal. Contact Kochartex today for sustainable fabric sourcing!