Swedish firm Polygiene® offers practical solutions that empower consumers to shape a more sustainable and environmentally conscious sports and outdoor wear industry.
There’s no doubt that the sport and outdoor textile industry must reduce its environmental impact significantly and, as per the recent "The Great Green Washing Machine" report, offer transparency and accountability regarding environmental performance.
Consumers are motivated to ditch fast fashion and invest in durable garments, and the pioneering firm Polygiene has taken a very simple but critical principle and used that to innovate technologies that are driving immense change in the textile industry. And what is this principle? If consumers can wash their sports apparel less frequently, it will last longer. Put even more simply: wear more, wash less.
This elegant solution extends the lifespan of garments and can make a substantial positive impact on the textile industry’s damaging emissions. Research backs this up: a Swedish study revealed that by doubling the number of uses of a garment, its impact on the environment is reduced by half.
The technology developed by Polygiene, including treatments that can be added at any stage of garment production, captures odor molecules within the fabric. Ultimately, this keeps the likes of sports and outdoor wear smelling fresher for longer, eliminating the need for washing. This is particularly relevant with sportswear since it is common for consumers to wash these items after each use. The fewer the washes, the longer a garment lasts, reducing the purchase of replacement pieces and cutting back on energy and water consumption in the home.
Polygiene CEO Ulrika Björk speaks to sportstextiles.com about the power of consumer behavior and how Polygiene is collaborating with the sports and outdoor wear industry to offer a holistic solution to a very pressing issue.
How are recent developments like increases in electricity and gas prices and water shortages influencing consumer behavior? How does this link with changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic?
These developments affect us all. Rising inflation is hitting consumers and households hard. But it’s also forcing us all to be more mindful of our consumption habits. As we saw with the lower CO2 emissions from the reduction in travel during the pandemic, challenging times can drive positive change.
The time feels right for unified change across the industry. By creating long-lasting garments with Polygiene’s technology, you are serving the consumer's current need for durable clothing – a need driven by eco-consciousness and the financial pressures to cut back on spending.
What are the most important shifts in consumer behavior that need to happen to help reduce the impact of textiles and clothing on the environment?
The biggest environmental impact of a garment is linked to the production phase, and we should only consume new products as a last resort. When we buy something new, we should be prepared to use it for that product's whole lifetime and keep the garment alive for as long as possible. Alternatively, we can make sure someone else takes it and loves it.
The worst thing is to buy new stuff and let it stay unused in your closet. That is why responsible brands making high-quality, durable clothes will win the battle in the end. But they do need help from consumers to drive this change. And in recent years, consumers have made it very clear to the industry that they're willing to invest in durable pieces, turning their back on fast fashion. The demand is there – now the industry must respond.
Many major brands have committed to halving their emissions by 2030, so they have just eight years to achieve this. The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5° World report indicates that consumers need to purchase just three new garments a year to reduce emissions to this extent. The only way we can discourage consumers from purchasing multiple garments annually is to offer them pieces that last.
How is Polygiene contributing to the industry's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint dramatically?
Polygiene’s mission is to enable mindful living through education and practical ways to facilitate this lifestyle. We have promoted our 'Wear More. Wash Less' message for many years, and we aim to change how consumers view clothes – from fast consumables to durables. Making garments last longer by washing them less is the solution that benefits both the industry and the consumer.
Proud to be a company built on strong ethics, we are not just a technology brand keeping garments fresh. We are also a movement raising awareness of this vital topic to end consumers via our brand partners. With our messaging and solid data, we can show the positive upside of using a freshness technology in textiles - especially for sports and outdoor wear, where the wins are high.
We want to empower the industry to follow a so-called life cycle thinking approach to sustainability in their sports and outdoor apparel. We’re sensitive to the fact that the industry needs to follow the main drivers of sustainable garments and believe our technology is an attractive proposition that meets the consumer’s needs.
What is Polygiene’s position in the sports and outdoor sector now?
We are the market leader for branded odor control technologies in the sports and outdoor industry. We have strong brand recognition and have built a solid reputation based upon the efficacy of our technology and our ethical standpoint; we’ve forged excellent working relationships with some of the world’s leading players in the sector.
Please share some examples of sports and outdoor brands partnering with Polygiene.
More than 500 global premium brands have now chosen to work with us, including many in the sports and outdoor sectors. Among the latest is MP Activewear, from the world's leading online sports nutrition brand MyProtein. Earlier this year, it launched several Polygiene-treated products for men and women in its high-end running range Velocity Ultra and Power Ultra collection. The treated items include sport-bras, leggings, T-shirts, shorts, and jackets.
We’re building on our long-standing collaborations with brands such as The North Face Japan, which has been working with us for almost six years, offering consumers more than 300 products treated with Polygiene technology. From backpacks to socks and shoes, the range of treated items is getting wider every year, reflecting consumer demand for durable items.
Similarly, in China, Adidas Terrex has launched this season a new apparel collection that is cobranded highlighting Polygiene technology.
What are the future/aims for Polygiene?
We are on a mission to spread the message of mindful living and to share the technology that enables consumers to enjoy such a lifestyle. We have an ambitious growth plan and are busy entering new categories and opening new markets.
How does Polygiene’s acquisition of Addmaster enhance what Polygiene can offer? How does this relate to the sports and outdoor sector?
Since we acquired Addmaster in 2021, we have also been able to offer antimicrobial protection for hard goods and plastics, such as drinking bottles, cool boxes, and hydration bladders. This means we have the potential to expand the beneficial environmental impact within the sports and outdoor industry by applying our technology to commonly used accessories.
Do you have a final message for sports and outdoor consumers and the industry?
Polygiene would encourage you to join the movement. Everyone needs to be responsible and evolve their own behavior. Start with yourself and be part of the change.
