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rom seed to shelf and back again is a front burner concept for 2021 as industry members increasingly view circularity as a key component of a sustainable future. Reimagining textile waste as a raw material is now con- sidered a critical next step in this process. Although it should be noted that in order for any of this to happen, consumers will have to become more closely connected to the textile supply chain. The good news is that progress has been made in advancing circularity particularly in the area of textile to textile recycling, yet stumbling blocks remain. For instance, while interest in textile biodegradability has shot up, so too has confusion. "Will it turn into everyone talking about it differently? Or will industry talk about biodegradability in numbers that consumers don't get?" asked industry expert Charles Ross, who added, "We need the public not only joining in but also need con- sumers understanding that efforts of biodegradability will be good." Recycling, too, has generated a great deal of interest, spawning new technologies that convert old clothing into new fibers. And for those consumers who wish to gain insight into the supply chain of their purchased garment, the start-up Know Your Stuff makes it possi- ble. However, scalability has been slow in this area of recycling, and, currently, only one percent of all end of life garments are processed into textile yarn or fibers. Biodegradability Update As is often the case with an emerging performance tech- nology, information can get muddled. Vanessa Mason, SVP engineering at PrimaLoft provided clarity on the hot topic of biodegradability in a recent webinar hosted by Performance Days. About five years in development, split between 2.5 years research on the science and 2.5 years on process engineering, PrimaLoft Bio was introduced in 2019 as the first 100 percent recycled synthetic insulation and fabric. Mason explained that PrimaLoft Bio optimizes (not changes) the polyester to make it more appealing to naturally occurring organisms to consume it; the tech- nology is not a topical finish. She stressed that it is important that designers and brands ask vendors what type of biodegradation the material offers, and what are the byproducts? "We offer biodegradation technology that is 'hydrolytic' in nature and doesn't fragment into little pieces," Mason stated, adding that Methane, CO2, water and biomass are PrimaLoft Bio byproducts. PrimaLoft Bio can reach near complete biodegradation in under two years, according to accelerated testing procedures, whereas regular plastic can take centuries. Mason informed the webinar audience on standards and lab testing protocols. "We test in a lab. These are accelerated tests. We are required to report test proce- dures, biodegradation rates, and time frame," Mason said. For example, PrimaLoft Bio results for the ASTM 5511 test (for landfill degradation) were 93.8 percent in 646 days; ASTM Test 6691 (for marine degradation)results were 74 percent in 889 days. Again, Mason suggested that it is important that designers and brands ask for data. Mason also shared the news that PrimaLoft Bio will be available in traditional fleece and baselayer fabrics in June 2021, and announced that PrimaLoft has partnered F Old Clothes, New Fibers "We test in a lab. These are accelerated tests. We are required to report test procedures, biodegradation rates, and time frame." VANESSA MASON SVP engineering, PrimaLoft "The Green Machine is available and adaptable; Now in the prototype stage, it will be good to go in 2022." ERIK BANG Head of innovation, H&M Foundation. 22 • sportstyle • March 2021 sportstylemag.com DESIGN As Interest in Biodegradability & Recycling Crests, So Does Confusion. By Emily Walzer

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