For the fourth episode of Prada’s “What We Carry,” National Geographic Explorer and photojournalist Hannah Reyes Morales and Chinese actor and Prada reporter Wei Daxun traveled to China and visited a clothing factory in Ganzhou City called Parawin. It has 300 workers that are divided into pattern cutters and garment makers. It is also the first factory to partner with Aquafil, an Econyl textile yarn producer.
Nylons, when discarded, end up in landfills where they could release greenhouse gases like methane. Through Aquafil’s collaboration with Parawin, these nylon scraps won’t have to go to landfills because of a new circular system that’s more eco-friendly as opposed to the usual linear supply chain. Parawin’s textile wastes would be transported to Aquafil’s and will be transformed into Econyl, after which they will be repurposed into Prada Re-Nylon.
Parawin isn’t like the typical clothing factory, because now it can inspire fashion companies to follow suit because of how Parawin upcycles nylon scraps and turns them into beautiful products.
Mochang Gong, a pattern cutter at Parawin, said that because of their new machines they were able to make good use of wasted fabrics; however, a lot of textile wastes still remain.
As Hannah said, we don’t know how much fabric we waste in making clothes, but this issue could motivate us to take more initiative in addressing environmental problems.
Parawin’s project with Aquafil can encourage more fashion companies to follow business practices that are more considerate of the environment.
Photo courtesy of Prada’s Instagram account
For the latest in culture, fashion, beauty, and celebrities, subscribe to our weekly newsletter here
Follow Preen on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Viber
Related stories:
Prada launches a major project towards sustainability
Handbag Edits: The extras you can throw in the Prada Logo Bucket Bag
Cotton tote bags aren’t sustainable: How to deal with it
LOOK: Dior taps Filipino photographer Hannah Reyes Morales
