In an innovative approach to tackle plastic waste and promote sustainability, a company in Karur has been converting discarded plastic bottles into fashionable sportswear. Sree Renga Polymers, founded in 2008 in Kakkavdi, initially specialized in producing PET flakes. Over the years, the company has expanded its operations to include the creation of sportswear and winter clothing from these recycled bottles. For Sree Renga Polymers, what many consider waste is a valuable resource, serving as the primary raw material for their clothing line. The company has established a robust supply chain, engaging everyone from rag pickers to organized traders, to collect used bottles from various regions across South India.
Once the bottles reach their Kakkavdi facility, they undergo a meticulous process involving sorting, crushing, washing, melt spinning, yarn spinning, and knitting, ultimately leading to garment production. Utilizing advanced German technology, the PET flakes are melted at high temperatures to create a fiber that closely resembles cotton. This fiber is then spun into yarns, knitted, and transformed into garments. The facility produces approximately 20 tonnes of fiber daily. By combining organic cotton yarn with fiber yarn, the company manufactures T-shirts and other ready-made garments, particularly for sports like football, cricket, and tennis. These eco-friendly products are sold online under the brand name ‘Ecoline.’
“We take pride in contributing to environmental conservation, even in a modest way. Our garments are completely eco-friendly,” states K. Sankar, Managing Partner of the company.
The company employs dope dyeing technology, which integrates colors into the fiber during production, eliminating the need for water in the dyeing process.
Senthil Sankar, another Managing Partner, highlights that 10 lakh plastic bottles, enough to fill a football stadium, have been crushed, recycled, and upcycled into fiber yarn. Since its inception in 2008, the company has recycled approximately 5,000 crore bottles.