Clothing Made from Recycled PET Bottles Generally Shows 'Good' Quality

Korea Consumer Agency, Test Results of 5 Clothing Products

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Clothing products made by recycling discarded PET bottles were generally found to have good quality and no safety issues.

On the 24th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that it tested durability and safety of five recycled polyester clothing products from sports brands distributed in the market, and the results showed this. The tested products included Nike Repel Mylar, Descente unisex eco-friendly stretch woven windbreaker, Reebok CL TS golf jacket, Adidas Tiro21 windbreaker, and Puma First Mile woven training jacket.

When checking for the presence of harmful substances according to the Electrical Appliances and Household Goods Safety Control Act, all products showed no safety problems. The labeling also met relevant standards. Tests on colorfastness against sunlight and sweat, as well as shape retention after washing, all met the recommended criteria.

The tensile strength, which measures how strong and unbreakable the fabric is, was good for all products. However, in terms of tear strength, which measures resistance to tearing, the Descente product fell short of the standard. The Consumer Agency stated that if consumers report issues regarding tear strength to Descente, they will actively consider the Consumer Agency’s test results when determining product defects.

The Consumer Agency requested related authorities to include recycled raw material clothing in the environmental label certification to expand resource circulation, and also recommended manufacturers to indicate the percentage of recycled raw materials used to help consumers make informed choices.