Econyl is a name for a type of fabric made from recycled polyamide. It was created in 2011 by an Italian company called Aquafil. This fabric is made completely from waste materials that would otherwise harm the Earth. These materials include waste from factories, leftover fabric pieces from clothes made by factories, old carpets, and fishing nets, especially those used in fish farming.

History

Aquafil started recycling nylon in the 1990s. The company began studying a complete process for reusing nylon in 2007. This research led to the creation of the Econyl Regeneration System and a closed-loop recycling process in 2011. Commercial production of Econyl began that same year at Aquafil's factory in Slovenia.

In 2025, the company opened a new production line in Slovenia. This line separates nylon fibers from elastane using a method developed with researchers from Georgia Tech. The recovered nylon will be used in the Econyl production process.

Production

Recycling nylon involves breaking the long chains of molecules into smaller basic building blocks called monomers. These monomers are then recombined to create new nylon. This process uses heat, steam, and special chemicals called catalysts, and it is powered by renewable energy. For every 10,000 tons of Econyl material produced, the company states that up to 70,000 barrels of crude oil are saved. Additionally, the material can be recycled many times without losing its quality.

Use

The material has been used by Stella McCartney (for handbag linings, backpacks, and outerwear), Kelly Slater's label Outerknown, Adidas, and Speedo swimwear, as well as Levi's, Breitling (for watch straps), and Sam Badi. It has also been used for trim, floor mats, and seat covers by automobile companies. Many other brands in the fashion and interior industries have also used this material.