Eastman Group partners with waste management specialist Debrand

The American industrial group Eastman has formed a strategic partnership with Debrand, a specialist in the collection of pre- and post-consumer textile waste. Eastman will use recycled material collected by Debrand to produce its sustainable Naia fiber.

By partnering with Vancouver-based Debrand for waste collection, Eastman will be able to deploy its molecular recycling technology to recycle 5,000 pounds (2.3 tons) of clothing waste before and after consumption in a pilot plan. The resulting material will be used to produce Naia, a sustainable cellulosic fiber that is made of 60% cellulosic fibers derived from wood pulp and 40% recycled fabrics.

Prior to its collaboration with Eastman, Debrand secured a strategic investment from Waste Management, the leading comprehensive waste management provider in North America, offering circular solutions in the US and Canada.

“Partnering with Debrand allows us to drive progress on our Naia sustainability goals, particularly for widespread circularity, by creating sustainable solutions for textiles that have reached the end of their useful life and turning them into valuable resources for new Naia fibers. Renew,” said Claudia. de Witte, Eastman textile sustainability leader.

Eastman is currently setting up a plastic and polyester recycling plant in Normandy, France, and is present in about 100 countries with 14,000 employees. In fiscal 2023, the group generated revenue of $9.2 billion. Earlier this year, Eastman collaborated with Patagonia to recycle 8,000 pounds (3.6 tons) of textile waste.