What is rPET?

RPET is recycled PET plastic (polyethylene terephthalate), which is often used to replace native PET.

Recycled PET fabric is a new type of environmentally friendly recycled fabric, whose yarn is extracted from discarded mineral water bottles and cola bottles, also known as cola bottle eco-friendly fabric (RPET fabric). This product is very popular abroad, especially in developed countries in Europe and America, because it is a waste recycling product. It is widely used in hiking bags, shoulder bags, luggage linings, backpacks, fashion bags, ice packs, camera backpacks, work clothes, down (cold) jackets, beach pants, swimsuits, sportswear, etc.

How is rPET plastic made?

The process starts with classifying, cleaning, and drying the bottles, removing the labels, and then making plastic sheets. Before conducting the first quality control inspection, they need to be ground, screened, and classified. In the pre classification and sheet classification stages, the more accurate the material classification, the cleaner the resulting material flow (e.g. classified as light blue PET). The latest classification technology can achieve this separation and help improve the quality of recycled materials.

What other uses does rPET have?

RPET can be used not only for packaging, but also for various products, including fabrics. All clothing that claims to be made from recycled water bottles is made from rPET. However, the manufacturing process of the fabric is slightly different. Not molding melted PET into particles, but spinning it into fibers.

Once this initial step is completed, these fragments can have multiple uses. The preferred solution for these fragments is bottle to bottle recycling. Other uses include fibers, trays, carpets, or other products, but using bottle fragments for other purposes is “downgrading recycling”: recycling materials into products that cannot be easily recycled, so that these materials are out of the cycle of resource reuse.

What does the emergence of rPET mean for the packaging industry?

According to data from the European Plastics Association, in 2020, the packaging industry accounted for 40.5% of Europe’s plastic demand, and PET is ubiquitous in the packaging field. RPET not only replaces these native PET, but can also be reused, marking a breakthrough in solving the plastic waste problem in Europe.

Why use rPET as a material?

RPET is a widely recyclable, reusable, and durable material that supports the recycling industry and recycling through repeated use. In addition, it can be frozen, durable, has good sealing, and can keep food fresh.

RPET does not replace plastic, but creates opportunities for reusing existing materials multiple times.