Avery Dennison introduces biodegradable Ecotach Fasteners for garment industry

15 October 2020: Each year, approximately 80 billion garments are manufactured, and 90% of them have a single use plastic fastener used in garment hang tags. That means there are 72 billion fasteners made every year for the garment industry. It adds up to a whole lot of plastic-the equivalent of the same amount of plastic in 761,581,156 single-serve 0.5 liter PET water bottles! Stacked from top to bottom, those plastic water bottles would circle the earth more than 3.5 times. Every master carton of fasteners eliminates 60 sq ft (5.5 sq meters) of carpet which is equivalent to half the sq ft of an average size bedroom in the US.

So, Avery Dennison has introduced three different types of fasteners to help brands and retailers achieve their sustainability goals. The bio-PP Fastener is made out of a proprietary blend of polypropylene material specifically designed to biodegrade in less than a year once it is on soil, without leaving behind any harmful substances. The technology used results in no microplastics so that when a fastener degrades all that is left is carbon dioxide, water and microbes (biomass).

According to the company, all have been tested by independent 3rd party companies to validate our commitment to sustainability and so that you can select the right fastener for your garment’s sustainability journey. These fasteners are made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and carry a “Recycled” logo molded into the paddle. Recycled (rPET) Fasteners contain at least 90% post consumer waste (PCW) plastic from recycled bottles (rPET).The environmental benefits created by using these fasteners are substantial.

Brands or retailers can create a positive image of environmental stewardship for just fractions of a cent per garment. They’re available in 13 standard colors and can be Pantone-matched upon request. Application of these fasteners on a reel is simple and quick with our Fine Fabric System 500 or System 1000 tools.