Retailer claims it is the first in the world to supply customers with garment covers made from recycled plastic bottles
Shoppers buying high-end suits, dresses, and coats in Selfridges can now take home their purchases in garment covers made from recycled plastic bottles, after the retailer announced the roll-out of new eco-friendly suit bags across its stores yesterday.
The suit bags and garment covers have been supplied by reusable bag company Jutexpo, which specialises in turning recycled plastic bottles into fabric, Selfridges said.
Complimentary for customers buying suits, dresses or coats, the bags are available in small, medium and large sizes, with each bag made using seven, eight, and 12 recycled plastic bottles respectively.
The garment covers have been rolled out in stores since the beginning of January and are now available in all Selfridges outlets, the firm said.
The company estimates the move will result in more than 220,000 plastic bottles being recycled from post-consumer waste during the first six months of the roll out.
Daniella Vega, Selfridges sustainability director, said: "As signatories to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Global Commitment on plastics, Selfridges is delighted to support new innovation that slows plastic pollution - and this garment bag is a great way of sharing this message with our customers and brand partners."
The Jutexpo covers are made from a fabric using 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles and are certified to the Global Recycling Standard. The firm said its specialist 'HALT' process turned the bottles into a durable fabric called rPet "which is strong, durable and can be wiped clean".
Robbie McGregor, director of Jutexpo, said the company believed it was first time in the world post-consumer plastic bottles had been used to create garment covers. "We are delighted to be working with Selfridges on this project, which is tackling the issues around plastic bottles and the ways in which they can be repurposed in a meaningful way," he added.
In related news, last week saw flooring specialist Oltco announce the launch of an outdoor driveway and pathway surface made entirely from plastic drinks bottles, food packaging, and straws.
Oltco claims it is the first company in the world to offer the recycled plastic flooring surface, dubbed Recycle Bound, which is aimed at homeowners, architects, and commercial clients.
Available in a variety of colours, the resin bound gravel paving is made from a blend of aggregates coated with a clear UV-stable polyurethane resin, which is then mixed and smoothed to form a durable surface with no loose stones, the Cornwall-based firm said.
Credit: Oltco