(Fashion)

Everlane Used 60 Discarded Plastic Bottles To Make This New Puffer Jacket

Courtesy of Everlane

Sustainable is sometimes the fashion world's equivalent to advertising food as all-natural: it's a word often thrown around and frequently devoid of exact meaning. After all, it takes bold moves for any brand to drastically commit itself to sustainable fashion. But bold is exactly how you could describe Everlane's ReNew Collection, an outerwear collection made from close to three million discarded plastic bottles.

Launching Oct. 24, the ReNew Collection will consist of six puffer jackets, four fleece pullovers, and three parkas. The collection's release also coincides with the announcement that Everlane will eliminate use of virgin plastic from its supply chain by 2021, a testament to the brand's tangible dedication to sustainability.

These extreme moves toward plastic reduction don't come with extreme price tags, though — a half-zip fleece from Everlane's ReNew Collection will cost $65, which is only $15 more than a similar half-zip fleece currently listed on its website. With the ReNew Collection fleece half-zip listed as renewing the plastic from 36 plastic bottles alone, consumers who can spend a little more will also help save the planet, one pullover at a time.

No matter if you just need a fleece for a chilly day or a full-on parka to withstand sub-zero temperatures, the ReNew Collection offers a variety of outerwear staples at different price points. The most expensive women's piece in the ReNew Collection is the Long Puffer, a high-neck jacket that looks to fall below the hips for extra warmth on blustery days. At $175, the jacket renews the plastic of 60 discarded bottles while actually being cheaper than similar insulated coats produced by other popular outerwear brands.

Courtesy of Everlane

Though the ReNew Collection is made from 99 percent recycled plastic (with only the zippers and trims not sourced from recycled materials), you couldn't tell just from looking at the clothes. The collection features Everlane's popular outwear colorways like mustard, brick, and olive, in simple, essential cuts. The Puffy Puff, pictured below, is Everlane's take on the oversized puffer that's become a streetwear staple, only this time created from 32 plastic bottles. At $160, the jacket will available in the mustard gold pictured, as well as black, surplus, and lavender.

Courtesy of Everlane

If you're still unsure about wearing renewed plastic, the company also noted exactly how the plastic is processed to become a cute puffer or comfy fleece. Plastic bottles are compressed into 926-pound bales, then transported to the recycling plant to be washed and sorted. After that, the bottles are shredded, then melted, to become molten plastic that can be shaped into fine strands. The strands are diced, melted once again, and pulled into even finer threads, which can then be spun into the yarns that becomes the clothes. In other words, you won't see a soda logo on the back of any of these parkas.

For the time being you can sign up for the ReNew waitlist on Everlane's website, which currently includes a letter from Everlane's founder and CEO, Michael Preysman, detailing the philosophy and statistics behind the sustainable practices of this new collection.