PHOTO COURTESY MARLOW ROPESMarlow Ropes, a U.K.-based manufacturer of ropes for the recreational boating industry, has partnered with textile recycling startup Sustainable Sailing. The companies intend to make changes in how base materials used in the manufacturing of high-performance ropes are recycled.
Sustainable Sailing can recycle Marlow’s post-production, bio-based Dyneema- and HMPE PU-coated waste rope and yarns. The recycler will use its Deecom steam process to break down the yarn material and coatings before returning them back to a polymer state for reuse.
“We are delighted to have found a textile recycling partner for post-production PU coated bio- based Dyneema and HMPE yarn and rope, which brings us a step forward in the development of a circular economy for all bio-based Dyneema and HMPE constructed products,” Marlow said in a statement. “Historically, it has been difficult to recycle the PU coated rope and yarn created during the production process.”
The company continued, “The technical requirements that sailors and race teams require from a high-performance dinghy or yachting rope in today’s world demands complex cover blends, heating and coating processes which have been difficult to trip out for recycling. Working with Sustainable Sailing is a key milestone for us — we now know the recycling technology is available and hope to increase capacity in time to expand and include end-of-life ropes.”
