By Paula Rosine Long, Source: Eco-Fashion World

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It seems absurd. But plastic bottles have already succeeded in becoming the new polyester. Or, I should say, the new improved polyester.

I was admittedly skeptical when asked to write a story on Ekocycle clothing made out of recycled soda bottles. Ekocycle is the brain-child of will.i.am and is supported by Coca-Cola. Eco-fashion initiatives seem to come largely from small companies that try to give an alternative to the wastefulness of the corporate world, and you don’t get more corporate than Coca-Cola. But beyond my admittedly anti-corporate bias, my main reason for skepticism was the very idea of a plastic bottle turning into anything comfortable. I assumed that the fabric would feel too stiff and inorganic and would not have a pleasing drape or “hand.”

I met the team from Hallenstein Brothers for breakfast one morning to discuss their line of Ekocycle suits (designed with will.i.am). They were easy to pick out of the crowd as the entire team was sporting Ekocycle suits – and I was immediately taken aback by the drape of the fabric, which had a nice swing when they walked.
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As they showed me the different suits, pants, shirts, ties and pocket squares in the line, I was surprised once again: the line was edgy and fashion-forward. Drop crotch pants mingled with open, double-lapel blazers. One blazer even had asymmetrical tails. Skinny silhouettes made the pieces suitable for a day at the office or for a night out, and I pictured the pieces being paired well with jeans or tee-shirts. Another benefit of the skinny silhouette is the potential for unisex appeal (especially with the drop-crotch pants and double lapel blazer). I haven’t seen much of this kind of structural innovation in wearable menswear at such an affordable price point before, nor had attention to detail been compromised: I noted that the suits boasted on-trend contrast buttonholes. I was also excited by the different color-ways offered, including a deep burgundy suit with a black contrast lapel. These suits aren’t for everyone, but for a younger, hipper crowd, they are spot-on.

I reminded myself that it was probably too good to be true – the fabric would probably look disgustingly shiny up close and feel like a Brillo pad. But I was wrong again. I had trouble telling swatches of the Ekocycle fabric apart from H Brothers’ usual viscose-poly blend. Upon further consideration, I actually had a slight preference for the Ekocycle fabric, which seemed slightly softer. I couldn’t believe the fabric had plastic bottles in it.
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One of the most impressive aspects of the K Brothers/Ekocycle accomplishment is the short timeframe in which the fabric was developed and brought to market. I thought the process would have taken a year or two, but the development process took under four months. The final method for making the fabric is fascinating. The factory receives used bottles, washes them thoroughly, breaks them down into chips, puts the chips in 10-story high vats and then turns the plastic chips into fiber using heat and air pressure. The resulting suit contains up to 25 recycled PET plastic 20-ounce bottles. The garment bag that the suit comes in contains another 5 bottles, bringing the total number of bottles in a purchased suit to 30. The lining is 100% recycled polyester, while the outer shell is 51% recycled polyester (blended with viscose).

There had to be a catch. Did the process of creating the fibers with heat and air-pressure render the garments less durable? Perhaps more difficult to launder? To the contrary, the recycled fabric pills less easily than the standard suiting. To top it all off, the recycled suits bear the same price tag as their non-recycled brethren. While the recycled fabric costs more to make, Ekocycle and H Brothers are committed to giving young men the ability to make a responsible decision with literally no downside in terms of quality, looks or cash. Hopefully the number of people buying the recycled products will be great enough to drive down the manufacturing price, giving other companies more of a fiscal incentive to use recycled materials in their fabrics.

With beautifully realized designs and uncompromised fabric quality, the H Brothers’ Ekocycle suit is a triumph of corporate social responsibility. I stand corrected.

To see the garments in motion, check out the H Brothers promo video:

Paula Rosine Long is a fashion designer and writer based in New York City. She is passionate about ethical and sustainable design, human rights activism, and bringing together different members of the artistic community for collaboration. She thrives on innovative fashion projects and pushing fashion forward using the latest technologies (especially 3D modelling). Paula Rosine holds an Associates Degree in Fashion Design from Parsons: The New School for Design, as well as degrees from Duke University and the University of Cambridge. A former Gates Scholar, she has previous experience in nonprofit work in the Middle East, journalism and academic research. Her work experience within fashion includes Kate Spade, Geoffrey Mac, Chris Benz, Tommy Hilfiger, Angelrox, and The Fashion List.