The news has been online for a couple of days, rightly because it is more than a positive news: Prada has reinterpreted some of its iconic bags with ECONYL regenerated nylon yarn, launching a theme capsule collection.
After the recent announcement of the ban of natural fur starting next spring / summer and with the launch of this collection, the Italian Maison proves to be increasingly committed to sustainability.
The Prada Re-Nylon collection presents six classic models for men and women: a belt bag, a shoulder bag, a tote bag, a travel bag and two backpacks and the entire offer is made with regenerated nylon, to which is added a logo designed specifically for the project.
The Re-Nylon project, born from the partnership between Prada and Aquafil, the textile yarn producer of ECONYL, aims to convert all Prada virgin nylon into ECONYL regenerated nylon by the end of 2021 and in this regard, Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Marketing and Communication of the Prada Group, is proud of the Re-Nylon project and collection: “The project reflects our constant commitment to sustainability. This collection will allow us to make a significant contribution and to create products without using new resources “.
Giulio Bonazzi, President and CEO of Aquafil, was also satisfied: “With this project Prada takes a big step forward, becoming an example among Italian brands. We are happy to collaborate on the Prada Re-Nylon capsule collection and above all to participate in the conversion challenge of the entire Prada production in regenerated nylon “.
To showcase the cutting-edge processes behind the Re-Nylon initiative, National Geographic, Prada’s Storytelling Partner, has produced a short video series, ‘What We Carry’, a series of short films that takes viewers through a remarkable journey across every continent of the world, from Africa to America, Asia and Oceania to Europe, revealing the inner workings of this unique enterprise.
The first episode takes us to Phoenix Arizona, to the first US carpet recycling facility which can recycle up to 16,000 metric tons each year. The actress and Prada reporter Bonnie Wright and National Geographic explorer and creative conservationist Asher Jay, show us one of the sources of ECONYL nylon: old carpets otherwise destined for landfills.
Below you can see the episode to understand, at least in broad terms, how an old carpet becomes yarn:
