Cordura re/cor RN66 sews up European bag debut
Invista brand Cordura’s re/cor RN66 100% pre-consumer recycled nylon 66 has made a splash at activewear and sporting goods trade exhibition ISPO Munich, after the unveiling of the first European-designed bag fashioned from the fabric.
Created alongside Swiss outdoor company Bach Equipment, a Cordura fabric partner of 40-plus years, the limited-edition tote is meant to accompany fans of the pack and tentmaker on all-weather adventures. More commercial bag and backpack options will follow in 2024, the partners said.
Over 30 weave and colour combinations of re/cor RN66 produced by South Korean manufacturer Dong Jin, as well as two footwear-ready versions made by Taiwan-based supplier Tiong Liong, were inducted into Material ConneXion’s Material Insights library earlier this autumn.
Backpack brands Mystery Ranch and Black Ember, plus streetwear label Supreme, have all been early adopters of Dong Jin-made re/cor RN66, according to senior sales manager Richard Kim.
“We make it a priority to continually bring new ideas and products to our partners,” commented global consumer segment leader for Cordura fabrics, Malayka Erpen. “Working with Bach Equipment to develop the durable, reliable and recycled next generation of a bag has been a great way to honour our longstanding history.”
A designer for the Swiss brand, Nadia Zoller, praised re/cor RN66 for being less resource intensive and said that it had helped the business make durable products in a more environmentally friendly way.
Compared with conventional nylon 66, the material uses 82% less energy, 57% less water and generates 83% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, Invista says.
Read more about the market for “green” nylons in WSA here.
Image: Cordura/Bach Equipment.
