BOTTLES DON’T BELONG IN LANDFILL
HOW 1,500 PLASTIC BOTTLES BECOME FABRIC
Plastic pollution isn’t just a distant environmental issue—it’s something we can see, touch, and measure. It fills up our landfills, infiltrates our oceans, and endangers marine life. And behind the scenes, it continues to burn through our finite fossil fuel reserves. The real question is: what can we do about it?
At Second Thread, we’re focused on solutions. What if every plastic bottle tossed away could be transformed into something valuable and functional? Something like… fabric?
Yes, really. Welcome to the world of recycled polyester textiles—where discarded plastic gets a new purpose.
WHY PET BOTTLES?
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles—the ones used for water and soft drinks—are strong, lightweight, and unfortunately, designed for single use. But their very composition makes them ideal for recycling. Once processed, they can be turned into yarn, which is then woven into durable, high-performance textiles.
It’s a powerful way to give waste new life—and keep it out of landfills and the ocean.
SO HOW MANY BOTTLES GO INTO ONE ROLL OF RECYCLED FABRIC?
Let’s break it down using a roll of 300gsm (grams per square meter) recycled polyester fabric as an example.
Specifications:
Fabric weight: 300gsm
Roll length: 50 meters
Fabric width: 320cm
Composition: 100% Recycled Polyester
Step 1: Fabric Weight per Linear Meter
To start, we calculate the weight of one linear meter of fabric:
Formula:
(gsm ÷ 1000) × (width in cm ÷ 100)
→ (300 ÷ 1000) × (320 ÷ 100) = 0.3 × 3.2 = 0.96kg per meter
Step 2: Total Roll Weight
Now multiply that by the full roll length:
0.96kg × 50m = 48kg
→ The roll weighs 48kg in total
Step 3: Adjust for Recycling Losses
Roughly 20% of recycled plastic is lost during cleaning, shredding, and processing. So we account for that:
48kg ÷ 0.8 = 60kg
→ 60kg of raw plastic is needed to produce the yarn for one roll.
Step 4: 100% Recycled Polyester
Since the fabric is made entirely from recycled polyester, all 60kg comes directly from post-consumer PET bottles.
Step 5: Bottles Required
An average 1.5L PET bottle weighs about 40 grams, or 0.04kg.
60kg ÷ 0.04kg = 1,500 bottles
→ That’s 1,500 plastic bottles per roll of fabric.
The Final Picture
Roll size: 50m × 320cm = 160 square meters
Bottles per roll: 1,500
Bottles per square meter: 9.375
PUTTING IT INTO PERSPECTIVE
If you consumed one 1.5L plastic bottle per day, it would take you over four years to accumulate enough bottles to make just one roll of this fabric.
WHY IT MATTERS
This isn’t just about recycling—it’s about reimagining waste as a resource. By designing with circularity in mind, we keep plastic out of landfills, protect natural ecosystems, and reduce our reliance on virgin fossil fuels.
At Second Thread, this mission runs deep. We don’t just talk about sustainability—we build it into everything we do. Through innovative recycling practices, take-back programs, and closed-loop material solutions, we help brands reduce their impact while creating products that look good and do good.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
What if every business chose to use recycled materials? What if we all thought a little more about where our products come from—and where they go?