Audience:
Open industry. All apparel and footwear industry professionals, regardless of AAFA membership, are encouraged to participate.
Description:
There is a tremendous amount of production and consumption in the fashion industry resulting in alarming amounts of textile/garment waste. In order to bring this waste back into the economy, circularity is becoming increasingly important, and hence the usage of recycled materials becomes even more prominent. This session explores the evolving landscape of polyester recycling in the textile industry. Covering both mechanical and chemical recycling technologies, their benefits, limitations, and role in supporting circularity, this webinar will also highlight key global regulations—such as the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)—that are accelerating innovation and shaping industry practices. Participants will gain insight into the challenges faced by recyclers and manufacturers, as well as the growing opportunities for scaling recycled polyester through innovation, market demand, and circular business models.
Attendees of this webinar will learn:
- About key technologies and processes used in polyester recycling.
- How major global regulations impact polyester recycling and circularity.
- About challenges and business opportunities in transitioning to recycled polyester in textiles.
Speaker:
Sumit Sarker
Sustainable Textile Expert, bluesign Academy
bluesign
Sumit is a chemical engineer and environmental sustainability professional with over a decade of experience working with leading apparel brands and textile manufacturing facilities worldwide. His expertise in chemical management and resource efficiency comes from specialized education and extensive auditing experience across various global regions. Currently, he serves as an Expert at bluesign ACADEMY, focusing on sustainability initiatives within the textile industry.
Moderator:
Conor O’Brien
Sustainability Policy Coordinator
AAFA
Conor O'Brien joined AAFA's policy team in 2024 as its Sustainability Policy Coordinator after completing his Masters in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University. Prior to joining AAFA, Conor worked for several years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Boston, where he engaged with RCRA compliance, state coordination, climate adaptation planning, and environmental justice application. Initially trained as a chemist at Princeton University, Conor combines scientific research with policy analysis and application to provide holistic approaches to sustainable resource usage in pursuit of a more circular economy. Conor supports the work of the AAFA Environmental Committee and AAFA Product Safety Council by engaging with public and private stakeholders on issues of sustainability, product safety, and chemical management germane to the apparel and footwear industry.
Unable to join on June 12?
Register for the webinar to receive an email containing the direct link to access the recording of the webinar and a link to the PDF version of the presentation. The email will be sent 1-3 business days after the webinar.
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Stephanie Paendong