- 2024
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Inside this issue
• A Circular Solution for Apparel and Fashion Brands:
Re:Down’s partnerships in Down Recycling
• Advancing circularity:
Re:Down and Iteratif’s Collaborative Effort to recycle Down-Filled Jackets
• NEXT TRADE FAIR:
MILANO UNICA
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- 2024
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- Blogs
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Advancing circularITY:
At Re:Down, our mission has always been
clear: to reduce waste and promote
sustainability through the innovative recycling
of down and feathers. Over the years, we
have refined our processes to reclaim highquality
down from post-consumer products,…
Read more…
NEXT TRADE FAIRS: Milano Unica
We are excited to announce that Re:Down
will be attending Milano Unica for the very
first time from February 4-6, 2025, at Fiera
Milano (Rho).
Contact us to meet there
A Circular Solution for Apparel and Fashion
Brands: Re:Down’s partnerships in Down Recycling
As the fashion and outdoor industries strive for more sustainable practices, circularity has become a key pillar in reducing environmental impact. One major opportunity lies in the recycling of down products—an energy-intensive but highly valued material found in jackets, duvets, and sleeping bags. By repurposing down, brands growing consumer expectations
for eco-conscious practices.
We at Re:Down, a leader in down recycling, offer a sustainable alternative to discarding used down items. For sport apparel and fashion brands seeking to integrate sustainability …
A CIRCULAR SOLUTION FOR APPAREL AND FASHION BRANDS
Re:Down’s partnerships in Down Recycling
As the fashion and outdoor industries strive for more sustainable practices, circularity has become a key pillar in reducing environmental impact. One major opportunity lies in the recycling of down products—an energy-intensive but highly valued material found in jackets, duvets, and sleeping bags. By repurposing down, brands can significantly lower their environmental footprint and meet growing consumer expectations for eco-conscious practices.
We at Re:Down, a leader in down recycling, offer a sustainable alternative to discarding used down items. For sport apparel and fashion brands seeking to integrate sustainability into their business models, partnering with Re:Down provides a way to reduce waste while enhancing consumer trust.
The Role of Down Recycling in Sustainable Business Models
Down, harvested from ducks and geese, has long been prized for its thermal properties, offering superior warmth in both apparel and bedding. However, like many other materials, , its environmental cost is significant. Although virgin down is a byproduct of the food industry, it still requires substantial resources to raise the birds (land, feed, water, and energy). In contrast, down recycling reduces the demand for new down by restoring used down feathers to their original insulating properties.
Recycling down is not only environmentally beneficial but also highly efficient. The recycling process used by Re:Down involves thorough cleaning and sterilization to ensure the feathers are as good as new. Recycled down retains its lightweight, insulating properties, allowing it to perform similarly to virgin down. This process allows brands to minimize their ecological impact without compromising on quality.
The Business Case for Engaging in Down Recycling
Brands that incorporate down recycling into their supply chain stand to benefit in several ways:
Advancing circularity
Iteratif’s X Re:Down
Collaboratif Effort to recycle Down-Filled Jackets
At Re :Down, our mission has always been clear: to reduce waste and promote sustainability through the innovative recycling of down and feathers. Over the years, we’ve refined our processes to reclaim high-quality down from post-consumer products, breathing new life into what might otherwise be discarded. A recent and impactful milestone in this journey has been our partnership with the French startup, Iteratif, which has enabled us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in textile recycling.
A Tradition of Recycled Down with a Modern Twist
Down and feathers have been repurposed for as long as they’ve been used as insulation. Historically, reclaimed down would be separated from fabric, cleaned, and mixed with virgin down to create new bedding products. We took inspiration from this traditional practice and developed a cutting-edge, environmentally friendly process that focuses exclusively on post-consumer down. This approach allows us to ensure that our products meet the highest quality standards, such as the Global Recycled Standard certification, while minimizing environmental impact.
However, the recycling of down-filled jackets poses unique challenges. Unlike bedding, which mainly consists of simple cotton shells, jackets often feature multiple fabrics, trims, zippers, and even waterproof linings. This diversity complicates the recovery of down and the recycling of non-down components. To address these challenges, we at Re:Down, developed an innovative, patented machine to automate and streamline the process.
A High-Tech Solution to Down Extraction
Our extraction machine is designed to efficiently recover high-quality down from used jackets. Jackets are first prepped by removing zippers, buttons, and other hardware. Once inside the machine, the jackets are cut into smaller pieces, and a vacuum-based system separates the down from the fabric. This process allows us to recover approximately 90% of the down, which then undergoes a thorough cleaning with our unique thermal water-based system. This method is chemical-free and environmentally sustainable, with all water being filtered and returned as clean drinking water.
Milano Unica,
February 4-6, 2025
Milano
We are excited to announce that Re:Down will be attending Milano Unica for the very first time from February 4-6, 2025, at Fiera Milano (Rho).
Innovation Hub – Booth IN11
Posted on 12月 10, 2024
RE:Down®: Because We daRE. We are RE:Down®.
You can register here for more updates as we continue our journey toward a greener future: register here.
For more information about our innovative recycling process, visit www.re-down.com or contact us via email: contact@re-down.com.