Think Twice: Textiles

28 / THINK TWICE

The true cost of textiles

Blankets and bedding onboard add comfort and wellbeing but if you're looking to make sustainable choices Ellie Parkes, of textiles specialist John Horsfall, encourages you to think beyond recycled fleece to consider the full life-cycle of the products...

As the post-pandemic rebuilding begins it is clear sustainability is back on the agenda. Airlines are asking for sustainable options and trying to do the right thing, but they don't necessarily know quite what that means when it comes to textiles. Buyers are showing commitment to sustainability but they are not textile experts so they need support in their decision-making and the answers are not straight-forward. Sometimes the most obvious solution is not the most sustainable long-term. These are multi-faceted decisions which take careful thought...

Think life-cycle

It is important to consider the entire life of a textile product - the manufacturing, the use, the laundering, the durability and the disposal.

Buyers often start by focusing on recycled material, which can make great sense. Recycled polyester is made from waste plastics, such as rPET created from plastic water bottles which might otherwise end up in landfill. It is a material which behaves in a very similar way to virgin polyester so as a swap for fleece blankets or duvet fillings it can be a great place to start. But if you make that choice you need

to also think about how long that product will be used for before its quality falls below what is required, and then consider what will happen to it when use, the laundering, the durability and the disposal. Recycled materials are increasingly widely available but are not always the most its life onboard ends. Even recycled products come at a cost to the environment and in some circumstances

Buyers often start sustainable option combining recycled by focusing on fibres with a more traditional woven fabric, which will be much more long lasting, adds to the sustainability of an onboard textile choice.

Think durability

up in landfill. It is a material which A bespoke woven fabric made from tightly behaves in a very similar way to virgin spun yarn in a compact weave construction polyester so as a swap for fleece blankets will be really hard-wearing. Compared with or duvet fillings it can be a great place to a knitted, brushed fleece there will be less start. But if you make that choice you need risk of shedding and piling and you will not

have to think about replacing and disposal so soon. Making these decisions is a balancing act. Sustainable procurement is a complex topic and isn’t as simple as buying one recycled (or recyclable) product! We encourage buyers to take a broad and holistic approach to sustainability, use technical expertise to advise and support their decision making, so they can then promote their sustainable choices with real confidence when they are made. In this spirit of knowledge exchange we joined the Onboard Hospitality Planet Action Group which brings together industry colleagues, competitors and customers to turn the spotlight onto the urgency of the sustainability agenda in travel. Together we can identify key areas that need focused attention, and action. We’re delighted to have this unique opportunity to collaborate openly and constructively with other industry stakeholders.

Think fleece...

Recycled polyester is made from plastics diverted from landfill and is a relatively inexpensive swap for onboard fleece blankets and as a filling for duvets or pillows. It allows for a choice of colour, limited edging detail and labelled branding. Fleece is made from knitting fibres that are then brushed to make it feel cosy. This process also leads to piling over time.

Think woven...

A woven fabric can include natural and recycled fibres. It provides multiple pattern, style and branding opportunities. It is generally more expensive to buy but this can be balanced out by its greater durability. A cleverly designed weave construction can provide a cosy warm feel.

Think lifetime costs...

Look beyond the headline costs before making a decision. Factor in the durability and laundering. A light-weight fleece may have a low initial outlay and wear well for 20 washes but for around 40% more you could have a woven blanket which will look better for much longer.

Rethink full value...

A recycled fleece typically begins to deteriorate after 20/30 washes. A similar weight woven fabric typically retains its quality for 50-100 washes.

Rethink disposal...

Whatever textiles you choose, factor in the environmental costs of disposal too. Closed loop opportunities are not yet easily accessible on a global scale so find local projects, charities for your old products and reuse opportunities close to your hub. Don't commit to textile programmes that require you to fly textiles to a new location at the end of their life. •

THINK TWICE / 29

If you want to be better informed about textiles and sustainable choices Ellie recommends the following: apparelcoalition.org textileexchange.org johnhorsfall.com/sustainableprocurement-blog ellenmacarthur foundation.org