Econyl

Econyl regenerated nylon is a material introduced in 2011 by Aquafil. It is made entirely from waste otherwise polluting the Earth, such as industrial discards, fabric scraps from clothing manufacturing companies, old carpets and fishing nets (mainly from the aquaculture industry). The material has been used by Stella McCartney (handbag linings, backpacks, outerware, etc.), Kelly Slater's label Outerknown, Adidas and Speedo swimwear, Levi's, Breitling (watch straps), and many other brands from the fashion and interior industries.

Aquafil began nylon recycling in the 1990s, but did not begin exploration of a comprehensive nylon reuse cycle until 2007, which ultimately led to the development of Econyl and the associated closed-loop process in 2011.

For every 10,000 tons of Econyl raw material, it is possible to save 70,000 barrels of crude oil. Further, the material can be continuously recycled without loss of quality.

Aquafil facilities for the collection and recycling of nylon materials include a carpet recycling plant in the United States (in Phoenix, Arizona). Recycling involves breaking down the nylon polymer into monomers, then re-polymerizing the nylon; the breakdown process is done with temperature, steam and catalysts, in a renewable energy driven process.