In Early 2009 Coca Cola India’s CSR team approached us with a sustainability project to develop products using PET fibres (polyethylene terephthalate) recycled from Coca Cola bottles. As an apparel manufacturing company, we were excited to partner with Coca Cola India to work towards a more sustainable future.
Challenge:
The challenge we faced was developing the fibre, as the infrastructure to develop was not fully accessible and our team had to work with labs, engineers to transfer theoretical knowledge to something tangible. Our team worked with engineers to identify the most commercially viable manner in which this could be done at large scale. Our next challenge was developing useful products using PET fibres without any industry precedence or specific PET phase capacity within the organisation. To overcome this challenge, our merchandising team developed various samples using the PET fibres in labs and then scaled up to produce a set of useful products such as bags, T-shirts, hand clutches, and gloves.
Solution:
Our innovation process involved exploring different ways to make PET fibres compatible and to understand what kind of useful products could be developed using them. We used a unique process to convert PET into recycled polyester that requires much less energy than traditional polyester manufacturing. In fact, it takes 33-53% less energy. Additionally, garments created from recycled polyester can be recycled again and again with no degradation of quality, allowing us to minimize waste. This means garment manufacture could potentially become a closed-loop system, with polyester forever being reused and recycled. By using more recycled polyester, we can reduce our dependence on petroleum as the raw material for our fabric needs.
Results:
Our partnership with Coca Cola India’s CSR team resulted in the manufacture and distribution of a significant number of PET products. The project diverted PET bottles from landfill, reducing soil contamination, air and water pollution. Using recycled polyester helped Coca Cola India achieve their sustainability goals while also providing a new source of revenue for our apparel manufacturing company.
Impact:
This project had a significant impact on both our companies and the environment. By working together, we were able to develop innovative products that support Coca Cola India’s sustainability goals while also creating a new market for our apparel manufacturing company. This opportunity tested new boundaries for our team and we were able to successfully implement this project from a prototype to a large scale. In addition to economic benefits, this project also had significant environmental benefits, including reducing waste and promoting recycling.
Conclusion:
This project is a testament to the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving positive change. As organisations increasingly prioritise sustainability, partnerships like these will become increasingly important. We are proud to have been a part of this project and are committed to continuing to work towards a more sustainable future.
