Renewed through Benu

It has been a gradual increase of interest over the past 10 years but has reached a new height in popularity over the last 2 years. With becoming popular, I have more producers willing to take the risk with supporting recycled yarn. It’s a steep learning curve for these producers – meaning it’s not enough to produce the product, they also must change the entire chain of working with recycled fibres because they react differently during manufacturing. However, in the early stages of its introduction in the industry, the two companies that offered recycled fabrics went bankrupt as there wasn’t enough consumer support. With its steady rise in interest, my producers now offer a variety of recycled options, which is why we have products with refined finishes, particularly sheers with lighter, ethereal qualities. Basically, as the demand for recycled yarn has increased so has the possibilities with fabric structures.

In 2009 I saw a footage of an island of plastic floating in the Atlantic which was the size of Switzerland, and I found it so frightening. I thought ‘are we really living with this floating around us’! Shorty after, a producer told me about how they sourced Seaqual ® yarn made from discarded marine plastics and it rang all the right bells for me - the timing was perfect. This particular producer knows that I keenly support sustainability and therefore consulted with me first. Immediately after our discussion I knew this yarn would be a perfect addition to the Benu range and would champion the sustainable approach I was seeking.  

Seaqual ® yarn is made entirely from upcycled marine plastics. The process involves the collection of plastics found in the ocean and on the seabed, including nets or bags. The items are sorted, cleaned, and chopped into tiny pieces. These pieces are melted into small capsules and then into liquid that’s pushed through a shower head device to create fine strands, (endless filament), then spun into yarn. 

For yarns constructed from the recycled fashion textiles, the material is sorted by colour, eliminating the energy-consuming process of dyeing. Only the best textile fibres are carded and spun into a new, high-quality yarn. By reducing waste water, dyes and chemicals, the environment is supported and precious energy saved. 

Yes, for bright white colourways there was an obstacle with achieving the correct vibrancy as the end result can be largely determined by the inherent colour in the recycled fibre.  However after months of trialing various manufacturing processes, we found a solution.  Another example is the many challenges we experienced with achieving the correct height of the pile for velvet designs in the Benu range. In terms of texture, we have only recently been able to create recycled fabrics that feel more luxurious as they have been stiff or slippery in the past. Ultimately it’s more of a challenge to influence the finish and texture of recycled constructions - they can have a mind of their own! However, as technology in this area is developing, we are refining manufacturing processes and techniques to achieve improved outcomes. 

Yes, we work directly with the producer to resolve finishing processes. For example, with our upcoming release, Benu Chalk, we encountered an issue where some of the colours came out wrinkled and others came out flat - there’s all these strange occurrences during final production that we cannot predict because we are producing something that hasn’t been done before. We have encountered this every single time with Benu products, there’s always something that might kill the product, and then in the end, we still manage to find a way – it’s never a straight shoot. But that’s a part of being innovative and at the forefront of sustainable fabrics. 

Yes, this is a consideration. For example, Benu Check is an industrially recycled wool that was initially presented to me in a stripe design. It didn’t work, as the design wasn’t enhancing the noticeable wool qualities in the fibre. The design team and I immediately thought 'this must be designed as a check pattern', as we wanted the historic tradition of check fabrics to match the wool composition. 

Yes, but it’s somehow exciting and a new challenge. I rarely have an insight into what our next Benu release will be, and when a new recycled process/concept is developed by my producers, it’s always a great surprise.

No, it’s just adding onto our range with what the market and our design team are excited about. Our aim is to add a gentle nudge with recycled fabrics, about 2-3 designs per year to the Benu range. Currently there’s a lot of Benu designs, but this took time to accumulate. I’m always more interested in a recycled than a non-recycled fabric, and if it adds value to our collection in a special way, there’s a strong chance it will be introduced.

However, we understand that not everything can be recycled with quality results. I wouldn’t stop making pure silk, I love silk and it will always remain in the collection, and unfortunately it’s recycled counterpart compromises on durability. Regardless if a fabric is composed of recycled or virgin yarn, I truly believe in conscious consumerism to minimise waste. Buy something good and stick with it, it’s quite simple.