ReNew Fleece: c/o Everlane | Jeans: Everlane | Shoes: Steve Madden | Belt: Thrifted
If you follow Everlane on Instagram (or any social media for that matter) you know they’ve been up to something for the past week. After deleting all of their Instagram photos, they began sharing statistics about single-use plastic and virgin plastic. Then they announced that by 2021, Everlane will eliminate all virgin plastic from their supply chain. This is huge. I have long admired Everlane and their commitment to radical transparency (peep this post and this post and this post), but this initiative proves that Everlane continues to go above and beyond in challenging norms in the fashion industry. I am thrilled to be part of the launch of Everlane’s ReNew collection – a collection of outerwear made from recycled plastic bottles. Outerwear with an Outlook.
Everlane first came up with the idea of creating a line of outwear made from recycled plastic bottles 30 months ago. In the design process, they saw firsthand just how bad plastic is, and set out to make a bigger impact. Everlane plans on eliminating virgin plastic from their supply chains in three different ways. In their IRL stores and offices, they will get rid of 50% of single-use plastics by March 2019 and all single-use plastics by 2021. They are also setting up an internal sustainability committee to educate their team on waste reduction and conduct audits on waste diversion (which I personally believe is one of the most important part of this initiative). In their products, Everlane has already introduced renewed alternatives to polyester in their product lines (like the ReNew collection made with recycled plastic bottles), and will transition materials in their current product lines over the next two years.Lastly, Everlane will ship all orders in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic poly bags, staring with the ReNew collection.
This year more than ever I have switched my focus from being as sustainable as I possibly can be to educating those around me to spread the impact. There are a number of brands in the marketplace that have collections of clothing made from recycled plastic bottles, but those collection are rarely discussed on this large of a scale. Everlane literally shut down their entire Instagram account to educate their consumers about the impact of plastic. I would say I know more than the average consumer about how plastic bottles are recycled into materials, but I still learned from their promo video and their info graphics. Below is the process that plastic bottles go through before being turned into thread & ultimately being woven into your new favorite fleece. The ReNew page on Everlane’s website has in-depth information about this process and MORE, so definitely check it out if you want to get #educated. The information in their Instagram posts inspired me to do a deep-dive research sesh to learn more about recycled plastic bottles turning into textiles. The plastic used to make plastic bottles is called polyethylene terephthalate ester, or PET / PETE for short. That same exact plastic is used to make polyester (a word derived from polyethylene terephthalate ester)!! There’s your fun fact for the day.
Everlane’s first step in their transition to a virgin plastic-free supply chain is the ReNew collection. The collection features fleeces, parkas and puffer coats made from recycled plastic bottles. Though it isn’t quite cold enough in Los Angeles to be thinking about puffer coats and parkas, I have already worked the Fleece Crew into my everyday outfits. It’s breathable, but air doesn’t blow right through it. My fleece is in the surplus color, but I also love the French Blue, Brick, and Golden Brown. The Fleece Crew is made from 35 recycled plastic bottles, which is pretty rad if you ask me. For all of you that experience real winter, definitely check out the Oversized Parka. I’m obsessed with the French Blue color way, and it’s made from 56 recycled plastic bottles.
I have always admired Everlane’s for their factory initiatives and transparent pricing, but I am thrilled to see that Everlane is recognizing the role they (and the fashion industry as a whole) play in environmental pollution as well. As a Global Supply Chain Management grad student, I am beginning to have a real grasp on the impact that eliminating all virgin plastic from their supply chains will have on the company, and I have gained a whole new appreciation for brands that tackle major issues like plastic pollution in such a public manner.
I’ll leave you with this quote from their CEO about this initiative:
It won’t be easy. But things worth doing rarely are.
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DISCLOSURE: This fleece was sent to me by Everlane in exchange for a post about their new ReNew collection. There are affiliate links in this post, which help keep this site up & running. All opinions are my own.