Design Life-Cycle

Antonia Wu

Thomas Telles, Katelyn Wong

DES 40A Section 1

Professor Cogdell

Re-Kånken: Materials & Life Cycle

Fjällräven Kånken, a popular backpack and clothing company, has recently introduced a new version of their classic backpack. The new bag is named the Re-Kånken, based on the recycled nature of its materials. The Re-Kånken backpack is advertised as a more sustainable edition of the classic Kånken bag. This claim references the reduced use of raw materials, substituted with recycled polyester (rPET) from water bottles. The recycled material can be sourced locally, therefore it requires less water and chemicals during manufacture, decreases the transportation distance, and eliminates the need for material-dependent maintenance; the backpack can also be recycled mechanically or chemically at the end of its lifecycle, using additional chemicals. Thus, it is important to address the primary material and chemical additives in the manufacturing and recycling process, as well as the packaging materials and fuel used in transportation, which add to the backpack’s environmental impact.

The primary material used in the production of the Re-Kånken has been chosen to maximize the use of recycled material and eliminate the use of raw materials. On the official website and online store, Fjällräven claims that the primary material, which makes up the entire backpack, is 100% recycled polyester. The material is said to be composed of fibers that were spun from melted down used water bottles. Eleven water bottles produce enough recycled polyester, or rPET, for one Re Kånken backpack (“Re-Kånken”). Water bottles are commonly available and can be found anywhere people buy processed and packaged water and have a recycling program. This form of localization adds to the convenience of building manufacturing facilities anywhere in the world, promoting more production at the site of the recycling process and therefore reducing transportation needs. The use of a recycled material completely eliminates the need for raw material extraction, and greatly reduces the energy, carbon footprint, and potential pollution as a result (Fjällräven). However, further transformation of the recycled polyester fabric through the manufacturing process requires some other chemical substances and materials to add various shades of color.

To add color to the fabric, Fjällräven Kånken turns to the SpinDye process, a patented process which successfully reduces the use of water and chemicals (“Re-Kånken”). The SpinDye fabric dyeing process distinguishes itself from other dyeing methods based on how the color is incorporated into the material. When using the SpinDye process, the fiberous material itself is colored, rather than the finished fabric. The dyeing method is described similarly by multiple sources. First, the pigment, Clarion Masterbatch, is added as color-giving pellets—the chemicals in the pigment are not specified on the website. These pellets, once added, melt together with the recycled polyester polymers during the spinning of the fibers, which allows the color to be directly incorporated into the material (“Sustainably Dyed Clothes”). As a result, the color is homogenously integrated into the spun polyester yarn or thread (“Waterless Dyeing of Textiles”; “Sustainably Dyed Clothes”). In addition, the finished fabric can be further processed, such as be coated in other substances or have a membrane applied to the exterior, but there is no indication of further processing in the making of the Re-Kånken (Klingelhöfer). Application of the SpinDye method requires less materials overall, e.g. 75% less water—due to the elimination of water-based dyeing baths—and 90% less chemicals, which subsequently significantly lowers the manufacturing process’s carbon imprint by up to 30% (“Dyeing the Way It Was Meant to Be”; “Less Environmental Impact”; “We Are SpinDye® SS20 Eco Textiles Preview”).

After the dyeing of the recycled polyester, the colored yarn is woven and hand-sewn into the form of the backpack by workers. This step in the production process does not call for additional material inputs—other than fossil fuels used to run the major factories in China and Vietnam. The production mostly relies on human labor, with supplier following Fjällräven’s brand-specific Code of Conduct (“Sustainable Production”). The finished product resembles the classic Fjällräven backpack (“The Re-Kånken Design Story”). However, one improvement in the Re-Kånken’s design stands out as a design decision that reduced the potential need for other raw materials: the Fjällräven logo on the backpack is embroidered. On the original bag, the logo is placed on a flat circular disk, with a reflective sheen from the plastic material it consists of. In comparison, the embroidery uses the same rPET thread and does not add any plastics to the backpack (“Fjällräven Re-Kånken vs Kånken”). The completed backpack is then transported to its destination.

In the recent years, Fjällräven has been established as a well-known brand name, which has contributed to the global nature of its sales. Looking at transportation methods plays a central role in evaluating the sustainability of the fuel used to power the vehicles that ship the backpacks. Re-Kånkens are shipped from factories in Asia—primarily from China and Vietnam, but with locations in South Korea and other east and southeast Asian countries as well—to warehouses all across the world, and finally to Fjällräven stores and other retailers or directly to customers’ homes if the order was placed online. For instance, the main warehouse for European dispatches is located the Netherlands (“Shipping”).  Then, individual deliveries through couriers are made to ship the backpacks straight to the customers’ doorsteps. The deliveries require trucks, generally, but includes planes and ships as well for long distance travel, which adds a significant amount of fossil fuels, such as gasoline, to the list of raw materials used in the Re-Kånken’s lifecycle. During this process, the Re-Kånken is packaged and shipped in a thin EcoEnclose poly mailer made of recycled polyethylene. The mailer is both recyclable and reusable—according to the manufacturer, there is a “dual tear strip and ‘peel-and-seal’ feature” for returns or other mailing uses (“Case Study Fjällräven”). The reusability of the packaging reduces waste by circumventing the use of new packaging and new material when a product needs to be returned. Once delivered to the customer, the durable Re-Kånken can be used for years before it eventually becomes recyclable waste.

During use and maintenance, the recycled polyester material the Re-Kånken is composed of demonstrates other benefits that minimize materials needed for upkeep. During daily use, the polyester material is very durable in terms of strength, abrasion resistance, air permeability, and surface friction (Telli, Abdurrahman, and Nilgün Özdil). The backpack also asks for very little maintenance, only needing lukewarm water and some light scrubbing by hand or using a brush to be cleaned (“Re-Kånken”). If the backpack gets damaged, Fjällräven also provides limited repair services to prolong the lifespan of the product and to reduce unnecessary waste (“How Sustainable Is Fjällräven?”).

The Re-Kånken can be easily recycled at the end of its lifecycle, to begin again as a primary material for other uses. The process of breaking down the material may call for chemical additives or more mechanical processes. As reported by Marjorie van Elven, Mechanical recycling goes through several steps: 1) washing the used backpack, 2) shredding the backpack into a polyester chip, 3) spinning to turn the chip back into fiber. Mechanical recycling requires no chemical input except for detergents used in the cleaning step. In comparison, the chemical recycling process uses less physical force, but more chemicals. Chemical recycling transforms the backpack back into the polyester’s original monomers, which are chemically the same as virgin polyester, and can go through the regular fiber manufacturing process. There is some debate over whether re-recycling degrades the polyester material, each time it is recycled. Some believe that the repeated heating of the plastic during recycling causes the material to degenerate over time, while others, such as Textile Exchange, claim that the quality of the material will not degrade from continuous recycling (Elven). Nonetheless, the material can go through at least several lifecycles this way. Alternatively, if the Re-Kånken is not recycled but instead taken to a landfill, there are greater environmental impacts due to waste, but no additional materials are needed to break down the backpack either.

The Re-Kånken by Fjällräven Kånken is a good example of using entirely recycled material in a product, although the manufacturing and waste management process still involves the use of chemicals and water, as well as the transportation powered by fossil fuels. Overall, the backpack strives to be sustainable, with materials that can be reused again, and minimizing the impact of chemicals and water waste. The Re-Kånken is appropriately marketed as an environmentally-responsible edition of the classic Kånken bag.

Works Cited

“Case Study Fjallraven.” EcoEnclose, https://www.ecoenclose.com/case-study-fjallraven/.

“Dyeing the Way It Was Meant to Be: Fibers Instead of Fabrics.” Advantage Environment, 9 Nov. 2018, http://advantage-environment.com/workplace/dyeing-the-way-it-was-meant-to-be-fibers-instead-of-fabrics/.

Elven, Marjorie van. “How Sustainable Is Recycled Polyester?” Fashionunited, https://fashion united.com/news/fashion/how-sustainable-is-recycled-polyester/2018111524577.

Fjällräven. “Fjällräven - Re-Kånken - The Most Sustainable Kånken So Far.” Youtube, 23 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heCKKUUOCbw.

“Fjällräven Re-Kanken vs Kanken.” Coolblue, 22 Aug. 2019, https://www.coolblue.nl/en/advice /compare-fjallraven-kanken-to-re-kanken.html.

“How Sustainable Is Fjällräven?” Rankabrand, Rankabrand, https://rankabrand.org/sustainable-outdoor-clothing/Fjällräven.

Klingelhöfer, Claudia. “‘We Are SpinDye’ Is Revolutionizing the Dyeing of Textiles and Stopping Water Wasting.” Ispo.com, 16 Sept. 2016, https://www.ispo.com/en/companies/ id_79692336/we-are-spindye-textile-dyeing-becomes-sustainable.html.

“Less Environmental Impact.” SpinDye, https://spindye.com/less-environmental-impact/.

“Re-Kånken.” Fjallraven, Fjallraven, https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/bags-gear/re-kanken.

“The Re-Kånken Design Story.” Foxtrail, Fjallraven, https://foxtrail.fjallraven.com/articles/ re-kanken-designers-vision/.

“Shipping.” Fjällräven, https://www.fjallraven.eu/customer-service/shipping/.

“Sustainable Materials.” Fjallraven, Fjallraven, https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/about/ sustainability/sustainable-materials.

“Sustainable Production.” Fjallraven, Fjallraven, https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/about/ sustainability/sustainable-production.

“Sustainably Dyed Clothes That Sit More Lightly on Your Conscience.” Clariant Ltd., 3 Oct. 2019, https://www.clariant.com/en/Corporate/Blog/2019-Blog-Posts/10/Spin-Dye.

Telli, Abdurrahman, and Nilgün Özdil. “Effect of Recycled PET Fibers on the Performance Properties of Knitted Fabrics.” Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics, June 2015, doi:10.1177/155892501501000206.

“Waterless Dyeing of Textiles.” Access Science, McGraw-Hill Education, 1 May 2018, https://www.accessscience.com/content/waterless-dyeing-of-textiles/BR0511181.

“We Are SpinDye® SS20 Eco Textiles Preview.” Boardsport SOURCE, 7 July 2019, http://www.boardsportsource.com/2019/06/29/aquafil-ss2020-eco-textiles-preview/.

Katelyn Wong

Thomas Telles, Antonia Wu

DES40A, Section 1

Professor Cogdell

Re-Kanken Backpack: Embodied Energy

The demand for energy is greatly increasing every year, causing us to rely more on non-renewable energy sources that can harm the environment. Knowing the many environmental problems products have throughout their life-cycle, the company Fjallraven created the Re-Kanken backpack, best known for its use of recycled materials. As they are made from recycled PET water bottles, many people buy these backpacks as a stylish and environmentally friendly alternative to backpacks that do not advertise their work toward solving ecological problems. In addition, the fabric is dyed using a special technique called SpinDye which uses smaller amounts of water, chemicals, and energy than other synthetic dyeing processes. After Re-Kanken backpacks are discarded, they can be recycled multiple times to reduce waste in landfills. Despite these benefits, we wonder how much energy the process really uses and its impact on the environment. As studies have shown that our need for energy is gradually increasing, it is important to care about how much energy products use in their life-cycle. This constant increase is leading us to run out of our finite amount of natural resources, forcing the economy to be more reliant on non-renewable energy sources such as coal and petroleum; both of which release CO2 when in use and can be harmful to the environment. This trend is consistent over time as we are switching from renewable to non-renewable sources of energy. Knowing of this possible harm and the importance of reducing it, companies strive to advertise what they are doing to fight against these ecological problems and use it as a selling point. However, we question whether or not the amount of energy used to produce the backpack counters its eco-friendly materials. Based on my research, Re-Kanken backpacks are more environmentally friendly than most manufactured backpacks today as it reduces the amount of energy used in its life-cycle. In my paper, I will discuss the life-cycle of Re-Kanken backpacks in relation to its energy usage when utilizing recycled plastic water bottles, using a unique dyeing process, global transportation, and being environmentally responsible with maintenance, recycling, and waste management.

First of all, Re-Kanken backpacks start by recycling plastic water bottles. Plastic water bottles are initially made from chemicals such as oil, natural gas, coal, and sulfur; all of which are used to make the secondary source polyethylene terephthalate (Plastics). The polyethylene material then goes through an extensive energy process to make and recycle plastic water bottles. The recycling process starts with trucks collecting plastic water bottles from recycling bins at local businesses and houses. These trucks rely on petroleum-based energy and can travel about 400 miles, once a week. Plastic water bottles are then transported to a recycling plant where they are sorted by large machines. As recyclables could include glass, paper, and plastic products, they have to be sorted in order to make sure the right material is used for the right product. Human energy is also important in this process as they sort and discard bottles that can not be reused or were missed by the machine. After the products are sorted, the plastic water bottles are transported by trucks to a factory where they can be made into plastic pellets. Once at the factory, the plastic water bottles are put on conveyor belts where they are carried through various stations to be washed, heated, dried, shredded, and packaged (Winter). Throughout the process, machines use thermal and kinetic energy. As factory machines need to be able to operate under these conditions in addition to needing enough energy to mass-produce plastic pellets, we can assume that they run on coal-based energy. Despite the process’ large consumption of energy to recycle plastic water bottles, “...recycled PET (rPET) uses 33 to 53% less energy than it takes to make virgin PET (vPET)...” (Why Is Recycled Polyester Considered a Sustainable Textile?) meaning that recycling water bottles saves more energy than making new ones. After the pellets are packaged, they are shipped by planes, trucks, and boats to a factory to create the polyester fabric. Depending on where the production takes place, the pellets can travel thousands of miles, resulting in a large use of petroleum-based energy. Despite the large amounts of energy used in recycling plastic water bottles, Re-Kanken backpacks save more energy through its manufacturing process than most backpack manufacturers.

The pellets are then used in a special dyeing process called SpinDye, known for its low use of chemicals, water, and energy compared to other synthetic dyeing techniques. The process starts with melting together colored and colorless plastic pellets in a large machine. The pellets become thin, colored polyester fibers that then go through a machine where they can be spun into spools of yarn. The yarn is then weaved into various patterns to create a new recycled piece of polyester fabric. This process requires machines that use energy to spin, heat, and dry the plastic pellets in addition to turning them into large spools of yarn. According to a supplier data collecting company called BizVibe, “Because the dye is added while the yarn is being made, the company does not need the same large machines...“ other synthetic dye companies use. (We Are SpinDye: A New Approach to Environmentally Friendly Dyes). The process uses smaller amounts of coal-based energy than companies that use other synthetic dyeing methods. As the machines used in the process need to operate repetitive tasks for long periods of time, we can assume that they run on coal-based energy in order to function. In addition, since the yarn is dyed during the production of the pellets, reducing the amount of heat and chemicals used in the process, it saves up to 39% of energy compared to popular synthetic dyeing methods (CDP Climate Change Questionnaire 2018). After the dyeing process, the fabric is shipped to factories in China and Vietnam for product manufacturing. Traveling thousands of miles by boat, truck, or plane, transportation uses a large amount of petroleum-based energy. The production process is run by the company DAC, known for its environmentally friendly production of aluminum rods and tents. Here they rely on human labor to sew Re-Kanken backpacks together in addition to adding aluminum buttons and zippers (TheTentLab). Many factories in China and Vietnam run electricity on coal-based fuel. As a result, the assembly of Re-Kanken backpacks greatly relies on a combination of coal-based energy and human labor. Despite the coal-based energy used in production, the SpinDye process and use of human labor use less energy than most backpack manufacturers. 

After Re-Kanken backpacks are made, they are sent to warehouses globally and distributed to consumers. As Re-Kanken backpacks are shipped globally, we can infer that they need to travel overseas; therefore relying on planes and boats for transportation. After being sent to warehouses, Re-Kanken backpacks are shipped out to more local stores and individual consumers by planes and trucks. As a result, these modes of transportation can travel thousands of miles, using large amounts of petroleum-based energy. In addition, since backpacks are shipped to countries such as Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain, transportation can use thousands of gallons of petroleum to ship to consumers. As a result, large amounts of petroleum-based energy is used during the transportation and distribution process.

We then look at the maintenance, recycling, and waste management stages of the Re-Kanken backpack life-cycle. Re-Kanken backpacks are easy to maintain. In fact, on the company’s care page, the company states not to use a washing machine to clean them as it could ruin the material and color (How To Take Care of Kånken). Instead, consumers can clean the bag with a minimal amount of soap and water. This eliminates the use of electricity during maintenance and instead utilizes human labor. After a consumer is done using a Re-Kanken backpack, it can be recycled multiple times as the fabric is made from 100% recyclable polyethylene fabric (Brownell). The backpack can undergo a very similar process to initially recycling plastic water bottles, but instead of starting with plastic water bottles, the process begins with polyester. This process uses a large amount of energy in the life-cycle as it requires machines that are able to wash, heat, and shred the polyester in order to turn it back into plastic pellets for reuse. It is especially energy-consuming as the machines need to be able to heat the material up to 410 degrees fahrenheit to allow for polymerization (Polyester). These machines rely on large amounts of coal-based energy. One of the great qualities of Re-Kanken backpacks is that it uses little to no energy in the waste stage of the life-cycle. This is because the backpack is made from 100% recycled materials and can, therefore, repeat the life-cycle multiple times; this eliminates the energy needed to dispose of the product. However, the polyester fabric can only be recycled a finite amount of times as the polyester deteriorates through multiple processes. The backpack will then sit in landfills. Despite a Re-Kanken backpack’s inability to be recycled infinitely, recycling the polyester lengthens its lifetime and reduces the need for recycling new PET water bottles.

Overtime, there has been a common trend that people use more energy each year. With this growing need for energy and only a finite amount of resources, it is important to be more aware of the economy’s energy usage and its environmental impact. Re-Kanken backpacks start their life-cycle by collecting and recycling plastic water bottles in addition to using an energy-saving dyeing process called SpinDye to create polyester fabric. The materials are then shipped to China and Vietnam for production, relying mainly on coal-based energy and human labor. After production, they are shipped out globally to consumers using vehicles such as planes, boats, and trucks; all of which use petroleum for energy. Once received by a consumer, the product is maintained using minimal energy, then recycled through the life-cycle multiple times until the material deteriorates to a point it is no longer usable. The creation of Re-Kanken backpacks has worked to improve the environmental impacts throughout the product life-cycle by focusing more on materials than waste and energy. Through this research project, I have learned that all product life-cycles will have some harmful environmental impacts since there is a high demand for mass production, relying on large amounts of fossil fuels for energy. However, what we can do is work to continue improving energy usages and strive to pinpoint problem areas to resolve by first finding ways to reduce the use of non-renewable energy sources. Although Re-Kanken backpacks rely on large amounts of the non-renewable energy sources coal and petroleum throughout its life-cycle, Re-Kanken backpacks are more environmentally friendly than most backpack manufacturers as it greatly reduces the amount of non-renewable energy through the creation of polyester in the SpinDye process. Therefore, energy usage during the Re-Kanken backpack life-cycle does not counter its eco-friendly materials and can be considered eco-friendly.

Bibliography

Biddle, David. “Recycling for Profit: The New Green Business Frontier.” Harvard Business Review, 1 Aug. 2014, hbr.org/1993/11/recycling-for-profit-the-new-green-business-frontier.

Brownell, Blaine. “Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine Our Physical Environment.” New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2006, pp.93.

“CDP Climate Change Questionnaire 2018.” Disclosure Insight Action, pp. 22-23, https://www.fenixoutdoor.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CDP-Response-2018.pdf.

Chaudhuri, Saabira. "Bottled Water Confronts its Plastic." Wall Street Journal, 13 Dec 2018. sirsissuesresearcher, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2266069270?accountid=193610.

Chaudhuri, Saabira. "Fast Fashion Leads to New Recycling Effort." Wall Street Journal, 03 Oct 2019. sirsissuesresearcher, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2302779578?accountid=193610.

Cogdell, Christina. “Lecture 1-Trends in Energy, Materials, Design and Globalization.” University of California Davis, 30 Sep. 2019, Class lecture.

“Coolblue.nl.” Coolblue, www.coolblue.nl/en/advice/compare-fjallraven-kanken-to-re-kanken.html.

“DAC : 동아알루미늄.” dac2017, www.dacpole.com/.

Danhey, Jake. “Science Made Simple: How Plastic Is Turned into Polyester.” Fair Harbor, Fair Harbor, 29 Mar. 2016, www.fairharborclothing.com/blogs/news/science-made-simple-how-plastic-is-turned-into-polyester.

Elven, Marjorie van. “How Sustainable Is Recycled Polyester?” Fashionunited, Fashionunited, 12 Nov. 2019, fashionunited.com/news/fashion/how-sustainable-is-recycled-polyester/2018111524577.

Fjällräven. “Fjällräven - Re-Kånken - The Most Sustainable Kånken So Far.” Youtube, 23 May. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=heCKKUUOCbw

“Fjällräven Re-Kanken Backpack: Eco-Friendly Edition: Eco-.” Eco, www.beeco.green/product/fjallraven-re-kanken-backpack-eco-friendly-edition/.

“Fjällräven to Launch Its Most Sustainable Kånken Ever with Re-Kånken.” Mynewsdesk, 4 July 2016, www.mynewsdesk.com/pressreleases/fjaellraeven-to-launch-its-most-sustainable-kaanken-ever-with-re-kaanken-1411248.

Garfi, Cadena, Sanchez-Ramos, Ferrer. “Life cycle assessment of drinking water: Comparing conventional water treatment, reverse osmosis and mineral water in glass and plastic water bottles.” 2016. PDF file.

Hayducsko III, Hernandez, James. “Solid Waste and Recycling Pickup Right Outside Your Front Door: A Cost Benefit Analysis of Rural Roadside Pickup of Solid Waste and Recyclables in Rural Dunn County, Wisconsin.” University of Wisconsin System, pp. 5, PDF file.

“How Sustainable Is Fjällräven ?” D, rankabrand.org/sustainable-outdoor-clothing/Fjällräven.

“How to Make Fabric From Recycled Plastic Bottles.” Toad&Co Official Online Store, www.toadandco.com/blog/sustainability-update/how-to-make-fabric-from-recycled-plastic-bottles.

“How To Take Care of Kånken.” How to Care for Your Kånken - Extend the Lifetime of Your Favorite Backpack | Fjällräven, www.fjallraven.eu/customer-service/care-repair/kanken/.

Hutchinson, Alex. “Is Recycling Worth It? PM Investigates Its Economic and Environmental Impact.” Popular Mechanics, 14 Nov. 2017, www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a3752/4291566/.

It's not a joke or a gimmick. It's a statement on how to keep trash out of landfills. “The Company Turning 4 Billion Plastic Bottles into Clothes.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network, money.cnn.com/2016/05/16/technology/plastic-bottles-fabric-repreve/index.html.

Keerthana, R. "Five Things You should Know about Plastic." The Hindu, 02 Apr 2019. sirsissuesresearcher, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265922085?accountid=193610.

Klingelhöfer, Claudia, and Claudia Klingelhöfer. “Dyeing Textiles Doesn't Have to Be Toxic.” Ispo.com, 27 Sept. 2017, www.ispo.com/en/companies/id_79692336/we-are-spindye-textile-dyeing-becomes-sustainable.html.

“Life Cycle Assessment Harmonization.” NREL.gov, www.nrel.gov/analysis/life-cycle-assessment.html.

“Made in Asia.” Foxtrail Fjällräven, foxtrail.fjallraven.com/articles/tent-in-nature/.

“Open Sourcemap #Sourcemap.” Open Sourcemap, open.sourcemap.com/maps/5a80bef458f01cde7f332bb8/things.

Pav, Honza. “New Re-Kanken: the Manufacturing Process Saves 75 % of Water.” Bekpek.life, 26 Dec. 2016, www.bekpek.life/new-re-kanken/.

Pentaform Smartcycle, https://www.materialconnexion.online/database/535703.html

“Plastics.” How Plastics Are Made, https://plastics.americanchemistry.com/How-Plastics-Are-Made/.

“Plastics: Material-Specific Data.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 30 Oct. 2019, www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data.

“Polyester - Design Life.” Cycle, www.designlife-cycle.com/polyester?rq=polyester.

“Polyester.” How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Polyester.html.

“Polyester Production, Price and Market Forecast.” Plastics Insight, www.plasticsinsight.com/resin-intelligence/resin-prices/polyester/#process.

“Product Care.” Care & Repair - Your Gear Deserves to Go on Adventures for Years to Come | Fjällräven, www.fjallraven.eu/customer-service/care-repair/.

Recycled Polyester, www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/about/our-materials/recycled-polyester.

“Re-Kanken from Fjällräven: Eco-Darling - My-GREENstyle.” My, 15 Mar. 2017, my-greenstyle.com/en/re-kanken-von-fjaellraeven-eco-darling/.

“Re-Kanken: The Best Recycled Backpack of 2018: Prices and Opinions.” Fjallraven Kanken Bags, 16 June 2019, kankenbag.co.uk/kanken-recycled/.

“Shipping.” Shipping | Fjällräven, www.fjallraven.eu/customer-service/shipping/.

SIMMONS, RICHARD A., et al. “Transportation and Energy.” Understanding the Global Energy Crisis, edited by RICHARD A. SIMMONS and EUGENE D. COYLE, Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Indiana, 2014, pp. 215–254. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wq56p.14.

S.Kaufmana, Andrew, et al. “Applying Life-Cycle Assessment to Low Carbon Fuel 

SpinDye®, We aRe. “SpinDye®-Coloring Method: the New Industry Standard for Coloring Fabrics.” SpinDye®-Coloring Method: the New Industry Standard for Coloring Fabrics | ChemSec Marketplace, marketplace.chemsec.org/Alternative/The-SpinDye-coloring-method-will-soon-be-the-new-industry-standard-for-coloring-fabrics-114.

Spitfire Productions. “We aRe SpinDye.” Youtube, 21 Sep. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by1u7Z9zILQ

“Spring Summer 2016.” Fjall Raven, pp. 26-29. https://www.horydoly.cz/files/fjaellraeven_katalog.pdf

Standards-How Allocation Choices Influence Carbon Intensity for Renewable Transportation Fuels.” Energy Policy, Elsevier, 7 June 2010, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421510003575.

“Sustainable Production.” Sustainable Production | Fjällräven, www.fjallraven.eu/about-fjallraven/sustainability/production/.

“The Re-Kånken Design Story.” Foxtrail Fjällräven, foxtrail.fjallraven.com/articles/re-kanken-designers-vision/.

“The SpinDye Certificate - Transparency, Traceability & Certification.” SpinDye, spindye.com/transparency-traceability-certification/.

TheTentLab, thetentlab.com/MoonLightTents/factory.html.

“The Unique SpinDye Color/Management System.” SpinDye, spindye.com/spindye-coloring-process/.

Tue, Edward Won, and Edward W. “How Are Plastic Bottles Made?” O.Berk Company, https://www.oberk.com/packaging-crash-course/how-are-plastic-bottles-made-temp.

“We Are SpinDye: A New Approach to Environmentally Friendly Dyes.” Bizvibe, 1 June 2019, www.bizvibe.com/blog/textiles-and-garments/spindye-new-approach-environmentally-friendly-dyes/.

“We ARe SpinDye.” Umweltpreis Der Wirtschaft, umweltpreis.ch/nominierte/we-are-spindye/.

“Why Is Recycled Polyester Considered a Sustainable Textile?” O ECOTEXTILES, 31 Oct. 2011, https://oecotextiles.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/why-is-recycled-polyester-considered-a-sustainable-textile/.

Winter, Debra. “The Violent Afterlife of a Recycled Plastic Bottle.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 7 Dec. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/12/what-actually-happens-to-a-recycled-plastic-bottle/418326/.

Thomas Telles

Antonia wu, Katelyn Wong 

Des 40A

Professor Cogdell

Fjallraven Re-Kånken: Waste and Emissions

Fjallraven, a brand which established themselves as supplying essential clothing for the average hiker and outdoorsman, released the Kanken backpack which quickly became a best seller item among teenagers. This product grew in popularity and through the environmental awareness of teenagers who were buying them, resulted in the push for the company to release the Re-Kanken, a more sustainable version of the bag. The method of using a more environmentally conscious process when creating the bag is by using recycled bottles to produce the polyester fabric. On top of using recycled materials, the company utilizes a more sustainable dying process when spinning the plastic into fiber. The dye is added into the fabric which effectively reduces water pollution. The efforts made in producing the Re-Kanken backpack are considerably successful in cutting down on waste and emissions that come with producing a polyester article of clothing; however, recycling plastics and manufacturing and shipping goods internationally still holds issues for the topic studied in this paper.

  The Re-Kankenis made from recycled polyurethane which is sourced from recycling water bottles. In the process of distributing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers to recycling facilities, there are approximately 155 kilograms of carbon dioxide emitted per ton of waste collected and transported to waste management facilities due to the use of fossil fuel powered vehicles.[1]At the waste management facilities, the plastic containers are mechanically separated and shredded down into plastic pellets. This physical breakdown takes the power of machinery which sources its energy by running on fossil fuels. After this stage, the pellets are not in a pure enough form to be used for making another product. In order to achieve a higher quality of recycled PET, rPET, that is closer to the purity and quality of newly produced PET, the rPET is purified through a chemical recycling process.[2]Due to a lack of information found when looking to methods of chemical recycling PET by clothing manufacturers, I looked for information that is relevant to the topic from a study which analyzed the byproducts and wastes that are produced when chemically recycling PET in order to achieve a more pure form. From this study, when recycling the plastic chemically, there is a two-step chemical reaction that needs to take place in order to get the final and much purer form of recycled plastic suitable for a new product. At the end of the first chemical reaction that takes place, there is a byproduct of ethylene glycol. Then, at the end of the second and final reaction, the waste that is produced is terephthalic acid. [3]These chemicals are harmful for the environment and can be toxic.

Since the dying process is done through another company’s product, SpinDye®, I could not find evidence of the exact dying process and waste and emissions that are produced when making the dye due to this company’s standards being only accessible through a pricey paywall. The information I have provided in this chapter is based off of general trends in synthetic dying processes. The dyeing process used for the fabric of the backpack is done at the beginning stage of spinning the rPET into fabric. Usually when dyeing with synthetic colors, there is a huge issue with polluting waterways and contaminating water resources for the communities that live around massive fabric dyeing factories. Being able to add the dye at an earlier stage of production allows for a reduction in the pollution of water. The dye product itself is a synthetic dye which is very likely to be made from petroleum. Since the dye may be sourced from petroleum, this process produces waste and emissions for fossil fuel emissions. The finished dyed fabric is then moved into the production process.

Fjallraven sources the production of their bags from garment factories which are located in China and Korea. The factories in these countries do not follow any type of environmental sustainability regulations thus, they produce major amounts of air pollution as they rely on fossil fuels in order to operate machinery and produce electricity and energy for the factories to continuously run smoothly. There are wastes and emissions that are produced during the transportation of materials to the factories which then make the final product. In this transportation processes, planes, trucks, and ships are used which emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. The final product is to be sold in other countries and sold in stores internationally and through online retail. From shipping the backpacks internationally comes even more greenhouse gas emissions. Annual carbon dioxide emissions from shipping products and materials internationally is estimated to be 1.12 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year. [4]

As the bag is in use, it produces plastic microfibers which are far too small to be broken down naturally anymore beyond this stage and cannot be harvested to be recycled. These microfibers will remain in our ecosystem for centuries as pollution. There are also microfibers that come off of the backpack whenever the bag may be washed which can lead to polluting waterways as many of these fibers can be too small to be trapped in a filter. The rPET fabric that the backpack is made from can be recycled again and reused for other products, but this requires more chemical and mechanical separation thus, adding more waste and emissions. 

The recycling process used for rPET degrades the quality of the plastic over time and can only be recycled about six times before the quality of the plastic is too poor and becomes waste itself. [5]Using recycled plastic for fabric and other materials loses its purity over time and is not as high of a quality as newly produced PET. Businesses then must use more of a chemical recycling process to get a purer form of PET. If not recycled properly, the bag itself may become waste and is then brought to a landfill which contributes to the waste management carbon dioxide emissions of 155 kilograms of carbon dioxide per ton of waste collected. PET is not biodegradable but is photodegradable thus, in a landfill, will last for centuries in our ecosystems since it is buried under tons of trash. [6] The backpack will most likely end up in landfills when they are discarded by the previous user as Fjallraven does not have a system in place where they are willing to recycle their own bags, nor do they push for the recycling of their backpacks.

It is an honest step forward by Fjallraven to push for a more sustainable product being made in their line of goods. However, many of their articles of clothing and other bags are made with newly produced PET and are not dyed with the SpinDye® process. Many of the very issues that the company is trying to combat with one bag in their line of products is simply not enough to make up for the pollution and emissions that are produced with all of their other products. One day, maybe Fjallraven can apply their ethics from the Re-Kankenbackpack into their full range of production.

 Fjallraven’s product line caters greatly towards the well-seasoned hiker and outdoorsman. Their Kankenbackpacks are popular among teenagers who are now becoming more attuned to the environmental impacts our goods have. There may be a correlation as to why Fjallraven chose to only push for a more sustainable backpack which is identical to the Kankenbackpack. The Re-Kanken backpack is a good step forward into being more environmentally conscious and sustainable; however, the processes of recycling PET, using synthetic dyes, and shipping materials and products internationally still creates a significant amount of waste and emissions in the production and shipment process.

References

[1]       Turner, D., Williams, I., & Kemp, S. (2015). Greenhouse gas emission factors for recycling 

of source-segregated waste materials. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 105(PA), 186-197 

[2]       LeBlanc, Rick. “An Introduction to PET Recycling.” The Balance Small Business, The 

Balance Small Business, 13 June 2019, 

www.thebalancesmb.com/recycling-polyethylene-terephthalate-pet-2877869. 

[3]       Vakili, M H, and M Haghshenas Fard. “Chemical Recycling of Poly Ethylene Terephthalate 

Wastes.” World Applied Sciences Journal 8, 2010, ISSN:1818-4952.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ec4f/9b71088fd8b84f823ba5d2eee7c0e5d46d8f.pdf

[4]       Vidal, John. “True Scale of CO2 Emissions from Shipping Revealed.” The Guardian,

Guardian News and Media, 13 Feb. 2008,

www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/feb/13/climatechange.pollution. 

[5]       Halford, Bethany. “A New Life for Soda Bottles.” CEN RSS, 

cen.acs.org/articles/89/i38/New-Life-Soda-Bottles.html.

[6]       Payne, A. "6 - Open- and Closed-loop Recycling of Textile and Apparel Products." 

Handbook of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Textiles and Clothing. 2015. 103-23. Web.

Bibliography

Biron, M. (2015). Material Selection for Thermoplastic Parts: Practical and Advanced 

Information 

(Plastics Design Library). Elsevier Science.

“Coolblue.nl.” Coolblue,www.coolblue.nl/en/advice/compare-fjallraven-kanken-to-re-

kanken.html.

Elven, Marjorie van. “How Sustainable Is Recycled Polyester?” Fashionunited, Fashionunited, 4 

Dec. 2019, fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/how-sustainable-is-recycled-

polyester/2018111540000.

Goswami, P., and O'Haire, T. "3 - Developments in the Use of Green (biodegradable), 

Recycled and Biopolymer Materials in Technical Nonwovens." Advances in 

Technical Nonwovens. 2016. 97-114. Web.

Halford, Bethany. “A New Life for Soda Bottles.” CEN RSS, cen.acs.org/articles/89/i38/New-Life-Soda-Bottles.html.

LeBlanc, Rick. “An Introduction to PET Recycling.” The Balance Small Business, The Balance Small Business, 13 June 2019, www.thebalancesmb.com/recycling-polyethylene-terephthalate-pet-2877869.

Muthu, Subramanian Senthilkannan. Sustainable Innovations in Recycled Textiles. Singapore: 

Springer Singapore, 2018. Textile Science and Clothing Technology. Web. 

Payne, A. "6 - Open- and Closed-loop Recycling of Textile and Apparel Products." 

Handbook of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Textiles and Clothing. 2015. 103-23. Web.

Turner, D., Williams, I., & Kemp, S. (2015). Greenhouse gas emission factors for recycling 

of source-segregated waste materials. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 105(PA), 186-197 

Vakili, M H, and M Haghshenas Fard. “Chemical Recycling of Poly Ethylene Terephthalate 

Wastes.” World Applied Sciences Journal 8, 2010, ISSN:1818-4952.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ec4f/9b71088fd8b84f823ba5d2eee7c0e5d46d8f.pdf

Vidal, John. “True Scale of CO2 Emissions from Shipping Revealed.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Feb. 2008, www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/feb/13/climatechange.pollution.