Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Recycling and sustainable product is a world trend and a necessity to save our environment. This was very prominent at Heimtex 2020 with a lot of exhibitors showing recycled product as their main attraction.

In the trend area a section was committed to recycled, remade, re-crafted, biological and natural products. Various companies all over the world are participating in creatins products from sustainable plant materials or remaking redundant materials.

Banana leaves, Orange fiber, Pineapple leaves, Corn husks, Palm leaves (to name just a few) are converted into yarns for weaving and vegan leather. Palm leather for instance can be used for furniture, book bindings, bags and shoes.

Corrugated steel and PVC can now be replaced with hemp fiber bound with sugar-based resin made from agricultural waste products such a corn cobs and oat hulls.

Woolen jerseys are shredded up and reprocessed into carpeting as part of repurposing materials. Another example of repurposing are denim jeans being bonded in layers with water-based epoxy. Once dried the slabs can then be cut into shapes and used for furniture.

What if new materials can be grown instead of made from a source? These projects are inspired by closed-loop, circular systems found in the natural world. Fungi and bacteria are used to grow biodegradable materials such as mycelium, lab-grown vegan leathers and textile dyes.

The most popular product in textiles, as far as recycling goes are PET bottles and other plastics turned into yarns.

Helm has been using recycled and sustainable yarns in a variety of our products for many years.

Our Fibretech range is derived from South African soil and is also easily recyclable.

Our recycled polyester range is made from PET plastics and we also support the local natural fibre manufacturers.