A British clothing brand has produced a waterproof coat designed around a simpler end-of-life proposition: a garment made almost entirely from one material family and independently certified as designed for recycling. At £*** (~$***), Bamboo Clothing Limited (BAM’s) Any Weather Mac is a small product launch, but its significance lies in the design problem it addresses and the timing of its arrival. Waterproof outerwear is among the more difficult apparel categories to recycle because performance garments can combine membranes, fabrics, coatings and bonded components. The coat arrives as European regulation is giving recyclability and material choices greater financial and compliance significance.
How BAM re-engineered waterproof outerwear for recycling
BAM Clothing Ltd, based in Plymouth, launched the Any Weather Mac in September **** and describes it as the UK’s first certified-recyclable waterproof coat. The “UK’s first” description is a BAM claim rather than an independently established market-wide finding. The coat is built around a mono-fabric construction and contains about **–** per cent recycled polyester. Its outer shell, mesh lining, trims and zip tape are *** per cent recycled polyester, while the waterproof membrane is *** per cent virgin copolyester (CoPES). The zinc-alloy zip head is designed to be removed separately during recycling.
