PlastfriIs recycled polyester (rPET) still plastic?
Yes — recycled polyester is chemically identical to virgin polyester. Better feedstock, same fiber, same microplastic shedding.
What recycling changes — and what it doesn’t
rPET is usually made from clear plastic bottles, melted and re-spun. That displaces virgin oil feedstock and cuts production emissions by roughly a third to a half. Genuinely better.
What it does not change: the garment sheds the same microfibers, will not biodegrade, and — because fiber-to-fiber recycling barely exists at scale — is typically the *last* use of that plastic before landfill. Bottle-to-fleece is downcycling, not a loop.
How Plastfri scores it
rPET scores 100/100, the same as virgin polyester, because in your washing machine it behaves identically. Plastfri does detect “recycled” in compositions and notes it in the breakdown popover, so you can weigh it yourself.
- Natural fibers for high-wash items
- rPET where synthetics are genuinely needed (rain shells)
Common questions
Should I avoid recycled polyester entirely?
For things you wash constantly (tees, leggings), natural fibers shed no plastic. For technical outerwear washed rarely, rPET is a reasonable harm reduction.
Plastfri spots recycled polyester for you. Scores every product while you shop — covers, dims, or labels the high-plastic ones.
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