Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, Tenn.), the producer of sustainably sourced Naia cellulosic fiber, introduced its new Naiaä Renew portfolio, sourced from 60% wood pulp and 40% recycled waste plastics. Naia Renew cellulosic fiber is traceable with certified biodegradability that captures the value of hard-to-recycle materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills. It can be produced at scale to deliver sustainability without compromise to the fashion world. The company also announced the industry’s first adoption of its Cristal Renew copolymer, which is based on certified recycled material, in the cosmetics industry.
“Naia Renew enables a circular economy for the fashion industry and helps brands meet their eco-conscious goals,” said Ruth Farrell, global marketing director of textiles for Eastman. “We’re transforming what a fabric can be and do to meet the sustainability demands of our customers and to create a world where brands and consumers can be in fashion without compromising on quality and performance.”
Available as both a filament yarn and a staple fiber, Naia Renew is used to create fashionable womenswear garments, while Naia Renew staple fiber is inherently soft and quick drying, with reduced pilling properties, making it ideal for everyday casual wear.
Fully circular, Naia Renew is produced with a low carbon footprint in a closed-loop process where solvents are safely recycled back into the system for reuse. The fiber is made from wood pulp sourced from certified forests, and the recycled plastics feedstock is generated via Eastman’s patented carbon renewal technology (CRT). CRT is an integrated, molecular recycling technology that breaks down waste plastics, such as post-consumer carpet fiber and plastic packaging materials into basic molecular building blocks for the manufacture of new products including fibers– a truly circular solution creating value from waste.
Naia is actively collaborating across the value chain for Naia Renew and will have announcements regarding brand partnerships soon.
“Our vision is to make sustainable fashion accessible for everyone” Farrell added. “We all need to play our parts to help fix the future and work together to protect our planet’s precious resources for the next generations. With Naia Renew, you can take an active role in conserving resources and fostering innovation, while demonstrating a passion for sustainability that resonates with consumers worldwide.”
Eastman also recently announced that France-based Qualiform, one of the world’s top producers of luxury cosmetics packaging, is first to market with its prestige line of bottles made from Eastman’s Cristal Renew copolyester. Cristal Renew incorporates high levels of certified recycled content.
“We were looking for a sustainability solution that doesn’t compromise on performance and aesthetics,” said Stéphane Perrollier, Qualiform CEO. “When Eastman announced its Renew offerings, we were interested right away. Using landfill-bound waste to create such beautiful packaging was very appealing. This really is game-changing technology.”
Cristal Renew is manufactured by Eastman, a global specialty materials company and leading supplier to the cosmetics industry. Qualiform’s sustainable luxury line features bottles made from Cristal Renew EB062-50 and EN076-50, both with 50% certified recycled content. Qualiform offers the option of Cristal Renew for all standard and customized PET or PETG bottles.
Cristal Renew is part of a broad portfolio of sustainable resins that Eastman now offers to the cosmetics market. These resins are made possible by Eastman’s Advanced Circular Recycling technologies and have all necessary regulatory clearances for the U.S. and EU.
“Eastman Renew materials provide the clarity, luster, color compatibility and durability that cosmetics brands have demanded from their packaging for years,” said Renske Gores, segment market manager for specialty plastics–cosmetics packaging at Eastman. “Eastman’s molecular recycling allows us to meet these rigorous performance standards and, at the same time, provide significant environmental benefits: landfill diversion, resource conservation and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.”
“We are very excited to offer cosmetic packages to the market with such high levels of certified* recycled content — and to meet brands’ sustainability needs today,” said Perrollier. “QUALIFORM has a long relationship with Eastman and experience with their products. Since Cristal Renew is indistinguishable in performance and aesthetics from Eastman’s heritage products, no retooling or requalification was necessary, making this an easy switch.”
Eastman Renew resins have been certified by International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC), a global, independent agency for tracking sustainable content in a variety of industries. Eastman Renew products are produced with ISCC-certified recycled content by mass balance allocation.
“We decided to get ISCC certified earlier this year because we — and the brands who are our customers — believe in this solution and the transparency it provides through the certification,” continued Perrollier. “We found the certification process to be clear and easy to complete due to our existing traceability system and have appreciated the support ISCC provides.”