Ecoline Clothing turns plastic bottles into sustainable fashion that even PM Modi wears!

Ecoline Clothing is a Chennai-based clothing brand that converts discarded PET bottles into fashionable and sustainable clothing.

A staggering amount of plastic bottles are used daily and they usually land in oceans and landfills. These bottles take years to decompose, but this brand has found a solution to reuse them to make sustainable fashion. Ecoline Clothing uses PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles to make jackets, blazers, T-shirts, and bottoms. One of the jackets from the brand was also worn by PM Narendra Modi at the G7 Summit in Japan.

From the Problem of Plastic to a Solution for Sustainable Clothing

A problem that seemed hard to be addressed was taken as an opportunity by Senthil Sankar (Managing Director of Ecoline) and his father K. Sankar. Senthil and his father encountered the issue of plastic bottles lying on streets and oceans and thought of doing something to protect the environment. This is when the idea of converting plastic bottles into sustainable clothes came to their mind and they founded Ecoline. "Our brand focuses on promoting sustainable fashion and raising awareness about the environmental impact of discarded plastic," said Senthil.

It only takes 6 bottles to make one shirt

The brand uses innovative techniques and sustainable practices to make the best out of waste. Every piece is made using hybrid fabric material by blending organic cotton with fibers made from recycled PET bottles. The process of making a garment starts with collecting bottles from households, commercial establishments, and public spaces and compressing them into cubes. "We have a network of 50,000 ragpickers across Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry who help us collect PET bottles," asserts the Managing Director. The bottles are sorted, and caps and wrappers are removed. They are then crushed into flakes and dried to reduce moisture content. The flakes are melted in an extruder at high temperature and the molten fiber is cooled. The polyester fiber obtained is stretched and converted into yarn, which is used to make fabric and tailored into garments. As complex as the process sounds but it takes only 6 bottles to make one shirt, and that one shirt can make a huge difference.

Also Read: Meet Asif Khan, who has designed Chattisgarh’s first eco-friendly cycle, ‘Bambooka’!

When PM Modi Joins the Sustainable Movement

This unique idea even impressed the Prime Minister of our country as he wore a Chandhan Sadri Jacket from Ecoline at the G7 Summit in Japan. After this, he was seen wearing the Ecoline Nutbrown Jacket and Cyan Jacket during his visit to the White House in the USA as well. "While we haven't had a direct conversation with him about our brand, his decision to wear our jacket speaks volumes about his support for sustainable practices and his appreciation for our efforts in recycling PET bottles into clothing," Ecoline on how it feels when the PM of the country wears their jacket.

Sustainable, Fashionable & Affordable

Well, it's a common perception that sustainable products are often highly-priced, but Ecoline wants to break this myth by keeping its apparel affordable. It uses efficient manufacturing processes and reduces resource consumption to keep costs low. Additionally, the company employs dope dye technology, which eliminates the need for water in the dyeing process. Apart from EcoLine clothing, Shree Renga Polymers, the parent company, is engaged in the production of Flushbric; a brick and paver block made from effluent sludge waste of the PET bottle recycling plant and fly ash from the steam boiler.

Ecoline says "By recycling 15 lakh PET bottles daily, we think we have made a significant impact in diverting plastic waste from landfills and oceans." Their future plans involve taking the concept of sustainability worldwide and sensitizing people to embrace sustainable fashion.

Also Read: 5 sustainable lifestyle brands to help you go green!

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