Plan to use ocean plastic is accompanied by launch of new collection consisting of six Re-Nylon backpacks
Italian luxury fashion firm Prada has this week announced it will convert all the virgin nylon in its iconic range of nylon backpacks to Econyl - an endlessly recyclable material made from plastic waste - by 2021.
The firm accompanied its announcement with the launch of a new collection featuring six Prada Re-Nylon bags, including a belt bag, shoulder bag, tote bag, duffle, and two backpacks, all made from the innovative material.
The collection is the product of a partnership between Prada and yarn producer Aquafil, which manufactures ECONYL using plastic collected from oceans, fishing nets, and textile fibre waste. It claims the resulting yarn can be recycled indefinitely with no loss of quality.
"This project highlights our continued efforts towards promoting a responsible business," said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Marketing and Communication.
"This collection will allow us to make our contribution and create products without using new resources."
Prada launched its Nylon range of backpacks in 1984 as a radical challenge to the formal, conservative style that dominated the luxury handbag market at the time. Originally made in a military parachute factory, the style was taken up by adherents of the grunge movement in the early Nineties, earning it iconic status.
The new collection will feature a revamped Prada logo reflecting the design's circular economy principles and be promoted by a National Geographic video series, What We Carry, showing where the waste materials that make up Econyl come from. A percentage of proceeds from sales will be donated to UNESCO's sustainability work, Prada said.