Recently, Prada debuted Re-Nylon, a men’s and women’s apparel line with items made of regenerated nylon.
The collection is referred to by Prada as a “groundbreaking evolution” of nylon, the brand’s most recognizable material. (Nylon was first introduced by the Italian fashion house in 1978, shortly after Miuccia Prada took over the family business, and it’s been a signifier of the brand ever since).
Re-Nylon 2020 combines the latest fabric technology with sustainable luxury. The Prada team crafted Re-Nylon fabric entirely out of regenerated nylon, a material created through recycling and purifying plastic. However, not just any plastic was used. Prada specifically used plastic collected from oceans, landfills, fishing nets, and textile fibre waste from all over the world.
Thanks to a process referred to as de-molymerization, the plastic waste was purified and transformed into threads that became Re-Nylon fabric. The production process for the ECONYL yarn used in the Re-Nylon collection results in 90 percent less greenhouse gases compared to virgin nylon yarn.
Diehard fans of Prada will recognize Re-Nylon as nothing new. The fashion house released a capsule collection of Re-Nylon bags back in 2019. However, this is the first time that a collection of this size, one that includes apparel, bags, accessories, and footwear, has been created with the eco-friendly fabric.
All items in the Prada Re-Nylon 2020 collection are black in colour, as per their predecessors, with the ready-to-wear women’s line including the likes of a pinafore dress, a mini skirt, and a jersey t-shirt. Meanwhile, men can shop for a raincoat, trousers, a blouson jacket, or a hoodie.
In the way of accessories, a water bottle, a bucket hat, a headband, a wallet, and a backpack are all included in the collection. Finally, footwear ranges from high-top sneakers to the “Monolith Re-Nylon Gabardine Booties,” a sustainable, luxury take on the timeless combat boot.
Prada says that their goal is to make the entire Prada nylon line out of Re-Nylon by the end of 2021.
All images in this article are courtesy of Prada.
