Key takeaways
- Recycled nylon is made from waste like fishing nets, fabric scraps, and industrial nylon.
- It performs almost like virgin nylon while cutting fossil-resource use and diverting waste.
- Reclaiming ocean-bound fishing nets ('ghost nets') is a notable benefit.
- Benefits are real but partial — it still sheds microfibers and isn't endlessly recyclable in practice.
What recycled nylon is
Recycled nylon is nylon fabric made from reclaimed waste — discarded fishing nets, carpet, fabric scraps, and industrial nylon waste — rather than virgin petroleum. The waste is regenerated back into nylon fiber that performs much like the original. ECONYL is a well-known brand of regenerated nylon.
Why it’s used
- Cuts fossil-resource use — less new petroleum.
- Diverts waste — keeps nylon out of landfills and oceans.
- Recovers ‘ghost’ fishing nets — a notable benefit, since abandoned nets harm marine life.
- Same performance — strong, durable, abrasion-resistant like virgin nylon.
A brand builds a jacket shell and a pack from recycled nylon spun partly from recovered ocean fishing nets — the fabric is just as tough and abrasion-resistant as virgin nylon, but with a smaller footprint, often verified through Textile Exchange’s recycled standards.
Benefits and limits
The environmental gain is real but partial: like all nylon, it sheds microplastic fibers in the wash, and most isn’t recycled again at end of life. It’s a meaningful improvement — part of the same responsible-materials push as recycled polyester, bluesign certification, and durable Cordura-style fabrics.
The bottom line
Recycled nylon delivers virtually the same strength and durability as virgin nylon while cutting fossil-resource use and diverting waste — including ocean-bound fishing nets — which is why it's spreading through outdoor gear. As with recycled polyester, the win is genuine but partial: it still sheds microfibers and rarely gets recycled again, making it a meaningful step rather than a cure-all.
Frequently asked questions
What is recycled nylon?
Recycled nylon is nylon fabric made from reclaimed waste materials — such as discarded fishing nets, carpet, fabric scraps, and industrial nylon waste — instead of new petroleum. The waste is processed back into nylon fiber that performs much like virgin nylon. ECONYL is a well-known brand of regenerated nylon.
Why is recycled nylon considered more sustainable?
It reduces demand for virgin petroleum-based nylon and diverts waste from landfills and oceans — recovering 'ghost' fishing nets that harm marine life is a particularly valued use. Producing it can also use less energy and water than virgin nylon, giving it a meaningfully smaller footprint, though it's an improvement rather than a perfect solution.
Does recycled nylon perform as well as regular nylon?
Yes, largely. Recycled nylon has very similar properties to virgin nylon — strength, durability, and abrasion resistance — so it can be substituted in most apparel and gear uses without sacrificing performance. This is why outdoor brands increasingly use it for shells, linings, and pack fabrics.
Sources
- Recycled materials & standards — Textile Exchange
- Plastics & recycling — EPA