Monday 17 August 2020

Ralph Lauren invests in recycled fibre start-up

Ralph Lauren has announced a new investment in the sustainable materials science start-up Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), which recycles fibres.

The company converts post-consumer cotton waste into high-performance materials.

One of the biggest challenges of recycled cotton is that it often proves to be unsuitable for use in new clothes due to the short fibres created during recycling.

NFW has developed a technology which seals short fibres into longer pieces to create cotton yarns that can incorporate cotton and other plant-based waste fibres.

David Lauren, Vice Chairman & Chief Innovation Officer at Ralph Lauren, said: "We have evolved and progressed our business for more than 50 years because we constantly push ourselves to think openly and differently about how to approach challenges.

"NFW's technology has the power to not only advance our work at Ralph Lauren but affect positive change across the entire industry.”

This investment is part of Ralph Lauren's goal to expand its use of recycled cotton, helping to advance its progress toward sourcing 100% of its key materials, including cotton, by 2025 and integrating zero waste principles across its business.