From ghost nets to innovative fabrics ...
Fishing equipment, particularly nets, are among the largest sources of pollution in all the world's seas and oceans.
Made of nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester and other materials that make their structures cheap and tenacious, they pose a serious environmental problem if abandoned in the sea, becoming dangerous not only to marine wildlife but also to boats and divers.
NGOs and volunteer associations, motivated by a desire to protect and preserve the marine ecosystem, are working to rid the seas and oceans of nets that once recovered are then recycled as carpets, rugs and clothing.
It is estimated (Scientific Reports, 2018) that about 50 percent of the plastic material on the seabed is fishing gear mostly nets, also known as "ghost nets," which are lost abandoned or discarded at sea. Real death traps for marine wildlife, turtles fish and birds in fact end up entangled in them dying later by suffocation.
Over time then fishing nets break down into smaller and smaller pieces, the micro-plastics, which are ingested by fish. In fact, more than 90 percent of seabirds that prey on aquatic animals have plastic in their guts.
Among the big names in the circular economy, Aquafil is a leader in the production of an innovative yarn: ECONYL®. A synthetic yarn with the exact same characteristics as virgin source nylon that can, however, be regenerated, recreated and remolded indefinitely. It is mainly used in the fashion and interior industry to make carpets, dazzling garments, swimwear and accessories.
This yarn is made from fishing nets, household carpets, industrial plastic waste and fabric scraps used by the textile industry. The fishing nets come from aquaculture and fish industries, and to a lesser extent are recovered from the seabed by volunteers from the Healthy Seas foundation (established in 2013 at the initiative of Aquafil Star Sock and an NGO). Once recovered from the seabed and stored at collection points, the nets are first cleaned and sorted and then, those suitable for recycling (made of Nylon 6 and not too damaged), sent to Aquafil's Slovenian remanufacturing plant.
It 
In