John Lewis’s recycled goods criticised by plastics activists

A NEW range of John Lewis towels made from recycled plastic bottles has been criticised by campaigners, who say they will still pollute the oceans.

Next month, the retailer will become the first in the country to stock towels made from recycled plastic and recycled clothing.

The Croft Collection range has been 18 months in development and will be made from 35 per cent polyester from recycled bottles, with each bath towel reusing approximately 11 litre bottles.

The other component will be recycled cotton. John Lewis estimates that by avoiding the use of virgin cotton, five tons of fabric will be saved from landfill each year.

It will also launch duvets made from 100 per cent recycled polyester from plastic bottles. Roughly 120 plastic bottles will be used to create each 10.5 tog double duvet. But environmentalists have warned that the range will only contribute more to plastic pollution.

Sian Sutherland, the founder of campaign group A Plastic Planet, told The Daily Telegraph that the innovation was “well-intended but misguided”. She said: “Every time you wash a synthetic garment, trillions of plastic micro-fibres wash into our water system.

“We know about plastic bottle pollution and single-use plastic pollution, but the amount of nanoplastic which comes from synthetic fibres is an equally big problem.”

She claimed the use of recycled plastics was “greenwashing” to perpetuate the myth that our current use of plastic is sustainable.

“The recycling of plastic isn’t a cycle, it’s a downward spiral,” she said. “It’ll all still end up in landfill or in our oceans. This makes us think it’s fine to use plastic in this way because it’s going to have a second life, but recycling is never going to be the answer. The focus should be to use different materials, rather than perpetuating the myth you can recycle plastic endlessly.”

Zoe Brady, the towel buyer for John Lewis, said: “The recycled polyester makes these towels quick drying and the cotton means they’re highly absorbent.”

The towels are certified by the Global Recycled Standard. John Lewis declined to comment about A Plastic Planet’s claims.