Chapter 4 — full chapter
4.4.1 Component Standardisation and Compatibility
Garments often combine materials and components with very different functions: main fabrics, sewing threads, linings, interlinings, zips, buttons, labels and decorative trims. These components may represent a small proportion of the total product weight but can strongly influence repairability and material recovery.
Circular product architecture aims to avoid unnecessary complexity. This may include reducing decorative components, using detachable fasteners, standardising frequently replaced parts and selecting trims or threads that are compatible with the main material or with the intended recovery process.
Standardisation can also support repair. When buttons, zips or other components can be replaced using commonly available parts, products are easier to maintain than when they depend on unique components that become unavailable after production.
However, material compatibility depends on the intended recovery route. A component that works well for one recycling technology may create problems for another. Designers should therefore consider available recovery processes rather than assuming that one construction solution is universally recyclable (Rahee & Sarker, 2024).
Reliable product information can support these decisions later in the value chain. Repairers, sorters and recyclers need to know what components are made from and how they are attached, but information cannot compensate for unnecessarily complex product architecture.
Product-level traceability and Digital Product Passports are discussed in more detail in Chapter 6, where their role in supporting sorting and recovery is examined.
RESOURCE INSIGHT Napapijri Circular Series: Napapijri is a company that designed an entire jacket, including fabric, padding, zips and trims from Nylon 6. The process involved creating entirely new components so the product can be recycled into nylon yarn in its entirety, bypassing the component compatibility challenge many companies face.
Source: Napapijri, Circular Series. https://www.napapijri.com/nl-nl/pages/veelgestelde-vragen-circular-series