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Prada’s trailblazing Re-Nylon project has launched as part of Selfridges Project Earth, our initiative which explores more sustainable ways to shop. This game-changing, sustainably crafted collection is created with ECONYL®, a synthetic nylon generated from recycled plastic, discarded fishing nets, and ocean and textile waste. Nylon’s been an integral part of Prada’s design DNA for decades (more on that below), so the move to recreate its most iconic pieces entirely from recycled material is a sure-fire sign that luxury fashion is changing for the better. What’s more, Prada has made an official commitment to convert all virgin nylon within its business to ECONYL® by the end of 2021.
Read on to discover more about Prada’s journey from fishing nets to fashion and our Instagram Live conversation between Selfridges Buying and Merchandising Director Sebastian Manes and Prada reporter, Poet and Activist Amanda Gorman.
SHOP PRADA RE-NYLON
PRADA - Chain-embellished leather and recycled-nylon shoulder bag
PRADA - Zipped mini recycled-nylon case
PRADA - Logo-print stainless steel water bottle
PRADA - Logo-print stainless steel water bottle
PRADA - Mini leather and recycled-nylon pouch
PRADA - Logo recycled-nylon baseball cap
REIMAGINING AN ICON
In 1984, Prada launched its first nylon backpack, the Vela. It was a bold move for a brand built on fine leather goods, but it paid off; Miuccia Prada’s use of sturdy, waterproof tent-material was an instant high-fashion-meets-function hit, and a complete antithesis to the formal, dressed-up notions of luxury at that time. As Miuccia Prada told The New Yorker, “I want always to mix the industrial way of doing things with the patrimonio [heritage] of the past, with the artisanal tradition.” 36 years later, Prada’s forward-thinking visions and love of craftsmanship continue.
SHOP PRADA RE-NYLON
PRADA - Zipped large recycled-nylon and leather wallet
PRADA - Graphic-print cotton-jersey T-shirt
PRADA - Logo-print regular-fit recycled-nylon shirt
PRADA - Logo-patch high-waist recycled-nylon gabardine mini-skirt
PRADA - Medium logo-plaque recycled nylon backpack
TIME FOR SOME NEW MATERIAL
Developed in partnership with textile producer Aquafil, synthetic fibre ECONYL®helps to close the loop on landfill and ocean plastic waste, turning trash into treasure.
Through rescuing and reusing thousands of tons of old carpets, fishing waste and plastic, ECONYL® is developed by breaking down the sourced material to its building blocks, polymerising it into brand new, high-grade nylon. The result is a strong alternative material that is helping to clean our oceans, avoid landfill waste and can reduce CO2 emissions by 50% compared to traditional oil-based nylon fabrics.
THE PROCESS
The waste material is gathered
The team collect abandoned fishing nets that endanger wildlife and natural resources from the ocean off the coast of New Zealand and the lakes of Cameroon, plus tons of unused carpet (which can stay in landfill for centuries) from the USA. It’s then sorted and cleaned, ready for processing.
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The regeneration takes place
40,000 tons of waste turns up at the Aquafil plant every year. Once it’s unpacked, it’s put through a de-polymerisation process.
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Then, the re-transformation
The building blocks of ECONYL® are transformed into threads through a new polymerisation process. These threads are then created into brand new pieces.
The numbers speak for themselves: for every 10,000 tons of ECONYL® created, 70,000 barrels of petroleum oil are saved, reducing 57,100 tons of C02 emissions, and lowering the impact on global warming by 80%.
Prada has made it its mission to continue its efforts in being a more responsible, sustainability-focused fashion house, and is leading the way with its commitments. By 2021, all Prada virgin nylon will be converted to Re-Nylon; a huge move for a label that has had iconic nylon accessories at its heart for decades.
I’M VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF THE PRADA RE-NYLON COLLECTION. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL WILL BE TO CONVERT ALL PRADA VIRGIN NYLON INTO RE-NYLON BY THE END OF 2021. THIS COLLECTION WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE OUR CONTRIBUTION AND CREATE PRODUCTIONS WITHOUT USING NEW RESOURCES.
– Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Marketing & Communications
THE JOURNEY
To document the brilliant work behind Re-Nylon, Prada collaborated with National Geographic to create the outstanding video series What We Carry. From Slovenia’s ECONYL® plant (where the magic happens) to New Zealand’s Mahana Bay (where the discarded or lost fishing nets are gathered), to the carpet recycling plant in Arizona, USA, where 16,000 metric tons of old carpet waste are recycled each year; Prada and National Geographic take you on a round-the-world sustainability trip like no other, all in the name of closing the loop on waste. Watch online on the Prada website.
SHOP PRADA RE-NYLON
PRADA - Brand-plaque short-sleeved recycled-nylon shirt
PRADA - Monolith recycled-nylon combat boots
PRADA - Logo-plaque regular-fit recycled nylon shirt
PRADA - Hooded recycled nylon jacket
PRADA - Logo-patch recycled-nylon shoulder bag
PRADA - Brixxen recycled nylon lace-up boots
ABOUT THE CORNER SHOP
The Corner Shop is our permanent pop-up space, housed in the Selfridges London flagship. As a place for creativity and collaboration, The Corner Shop hosts a rotating line-up of imaginative retail concepts and innovations.
