Carrington Textiles' Hawksbill and Orca recognised as first workwear fabrics with a polyester that biodegrades

With the help of the CiCLO technology, the polyester in these fabrics behave like natural fibres when they end up in the environment through washing or end of life of the garment.

During the Network Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors (NAUMD) Convention and Exposition held last month in Reston, US, global textile manufacturer Carrington Textiles was awarded the Innovation Award for their Hawksbill and Orca fabrics, the first on the workwear market to include polyester fibres that biodegrade.

Welcoming around 300 attendees, the event focused on how the industry can improve its sustainability efforts and how automation and technology could aid environmentally friendly practices. "The 2022 NAUMD awards shine a light on the high calibre of technical innovation, creative design, and environmental consideration flourishing throughout the uniform industry today," said Margaret Ramsdale, an industry veteran and past NAUMD board of directors member who served as a judge.

The awarded fabrics, Hawksbill and Orca, have the CiCLO technology in their composition. CiCLO is an additive that is combined with polyester at the start of the fibre making process to create a product that behaves like a natural fibre when it ends up in the environment either through washing or end of life of the garment.

Paul Farrell, Sales Director at Carrington Textiles says: “It’s a real privilege to have received this award from the NAUMD which recognises our efforts to create these products that are our solution to reducing microplastic pollution and textile accumulation, without compromising the performance of our fabrics”.

Perfect for end uses including workwear jackets, trousers and coveralls, Hawksbill’s composition includes 65% CiCLO polyester and 35% organic cotton. While Orca incorporates 26% recycled CiCLO polyester, 29% virgin CiCLO polyester and 35% Better Cotton.