Trash to Tote: Giving Hard Plastics a Second Life

Did you ever think that the plastic from your old fridge or washing machine could be recycled into shopping bags? That’s exactly what Waste2Wear is doing. They’ve created reusable bags from polypropylene, taken from old appliances combined with discarded single use food containers, giving plastic waste a whole new purpose. Since the pandemic, there is an ever increasing demand for home delivered meals. These single use food containers are notoriously difficult and laborious to recycle. Waste2Wear uses this previously ignored source of plastic waste to create new, long lasting, sustainable shopping bags. Recycling these materials, eliminates the need to produce new fossil-based plastics, so less waste goes into landfills and more plastic is being reused in smart, sustainable ways. Right now, only 1% of post-consumer polypropylene (RPP) gets recycled, Waste2Wear is working to improve that and believes that every piece of recycled plastic counts.

These innovative recycled polypropylene shopping bags are backed by multi-award-winning blockchain technology. Every step in the supply chain, from collecting the plastic to making the final product, is tracked and verified. Just scan the QR code on the bag to see where the plastic waste came from; how it was made and to check the environmental impact report that identifies exactly how much energy, water and CO2 was saved in production.

Polypropylene is slow and difficult to recycle, but Waste2Wear’s advanced cleaning and processing technology makes it possible to turn this tough plastic into durable, long-lasting fabric. The result? Strong, reusable bags that help close the loop on plastic waste. Waste2Wear’s mission goes beyond recycling, it’s about reshaping how we view waste. By combining cutting-edge technology with smart design, these RPP bags offer a glimpse into a future where sustainability, transparency, and innovation go hand in hand.

For more information contact orla@waste2wear.com