Mainetti, the global retail solutions provider, has started working with a number of retailers – including Superdry, Nutmeg at Morrisons and Very.co.uk – to provide a ‘world first’ closed loop clear polythene recycling initiative, Mainetti Polyloop.
Mainetti Polyloop is a global clear polythene recycling process which enables Mainetti to provide its customers with a closed loop recycling system for all of their clear polythene sourcing requirements.
The combination of Mainetti’s network means that, for the first time, it can offer customers the ability to source clear polythene film containing 30% recycled scrap material from anywhere in the world.
The process sees scrap materials collected, cleaned and processed within the UK before being distributed to Mainetti’s manufacturing sites offshore.
Through the introduction of Mainetti Polyloop, it is our aim to help retailers and global supply chains tackle some of the issues they are facing and ensure that circular processes are built into every aspect of the manufacturing process
This is a first of its kind initiative that is truly global, it says, leveraging Mainetti’s network of 47 manufacturing and recycling operations across the globe.
Mainetti works with the largest retail brands around the world and develops circular economy processes and practices to enable customers to accelerate a circular economy for plastics.
So far retailers have been using Mainetti Polyloop for the consistent supply of ‘good quality and trusted’ recycled content. Due to the difference of this recycling process, the polyethylene film clears any print and labelling and therefore creates the ‘highest level of clarity for post–consumer recycled content’, it says.
The machine has the capacity to process 4,000 tonnes of recycled materials per year.
Robust global circular economy framework
Keith Charlton, Chief Operations Officer at Mainetti, comments: “Since our inception in the 1960’s, Mainetti has been committed to supporting our clients and partners with environmental initiatives that aim to build a robust global circular economy framework.
“We recognise this move is needed to accelerate the changes we all need to make if we are to reduce carbon emissions in line with the commitments made in the Paris Accord and Mainetti recently joined the Ellen MacArthur Network to be part of the community that is working to drive change on a global scale.”
“Through the introduction of Mainetti Polyloop, it is our aim to help retailers and global supply chains tackle some of the issues they are facing and ensure that circular processes are built into every aspect of the manufacturing process.”
Mainetti started to introduce the concept of Mainetti Polyloop to leading fashion retailers in Europe through the sustainable innovation platform Fashion for Good which help its fashion industry members transform from a linear to a circular economy.
More recently, the global retail solutions provider introduced Mainetti Polyloop to the signatories of the Fashion Pact – a global coalition of companies in the fashion and textile industry, all committed to a common core of key environmental goals.
Extensive development work and quality testing of Mainetti Polyloop has been completed and the first industrial scale processing line became operational in the UK this year.