Pertex, developers of high-performance fabrics and pinnacle wovens for outdoor apparel and equipment, today announced its partnership with Bureo to develop lightweight nylon fabrics made from NetPlus 100% recycled fishing net yarn. The partnership underscores a mutual dedication to expanding responsible material solutions. In Fall/Winter 2024, brands such as Patagonia, Macpac, Burton Snowboards, Albion Cycling, Jöttnar and others will launch new Pertex fabrics made from NetPlus.
Bureo is an innovative company that is working to end fishing net pollution by providing fishermen with an end-of-life solution for discarded fishing nets. Since its founding in 2013, Bureo remains the only supplier for 100% recycled and discarded fishing nets that are 100% traceable to the source. Bureo’s work to end fishing net pollution is driven by their ability to empower both the fishing communities and the consumer goods industry to embed net positive solutions into current practices. This is achieved by first working directly with the fishing communities to provide the resources, training and incentives needed to responsibly dispose of their fishing nets when they have reached their end of life. Secondly, the nets are converted into a fully traceable, premium 100% recycled Nylon 6 material (NetPlus) that rivals virgin Nylon 6 in durability and quality yet offers a proven reduction in environmental impact.
Pertex fabrics made from NetPlus – which include Pertex Quantum, Shield and Equilibrium – meet the same rigorous performance standard as the rest of the company’s range, ensuring that there is no compromise on performance. The fabrics remain incredibly durable, lightweight and breathable, while representing a reduction in environmental impacts compared to virgin nylon material.In lab tests, Pertex’s NetPlus fabrics showed the same abrasion resistance and tear strength as fabrics made from virgin nylon. Additionally, the switch to NetPlus results in a 20% GHG reduction, 70% water reduction, 67% fossil fuel reduction and 68% energy reduction as compared to virgin nylon*.
“These fabrics are engineered to be direct replacements for fabrics made from virgin material, not just to be resigned to minor ‘sustainable’ capsule collections,” notes Andy Laycock, Pertex Brand Director. “This allows significant and measurable reductions in fossil fuel reliance and greenhouse gas emissions, whilst helping to empower fishing communities and protect marine ecosystems.”
“We are driven by a love for the outdoors and the increasing need to protect natural spaces from the impacts of harmful waste,” notes David Stover, Bureo co-founder. “Our work at Bureo is dedicated to accelerating solutions for a cleaner world and supporting the replacement of virgin plastics within supply chains. We share this vision with the committed team at Pertex, and we are grateful for their partnership and industry leadership to incorporate more responsible, non-extractive materials into the Pertex product line.”
*Study Reference: SCS Global Services. (2023, March). Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of NetPlus® Nylon 6 and Virgin Nylon 6.
