Can recycled polyester staple fibers be used to make filling materials, and what are their characteristics compared to filling materials such as down and synthetic cotton? ​

Recycled polyester staple fiberCan be used to make filling materials. Cutting it into a specific length of about 3-7 millimeters and then processing it through fluffiness and loosening can produce recycled polyester filling cotton, which is widely used in various fields such as home textiles, clothing, and home decoration. Compared with down and synthetic cotton, recycled polyester short fiber filling cotton has the following characteristics:

Compare Down

Outstanding environmental friendliness: Recycled polyester staple fibers are made from recycled waste PET, which can reduce plastic pollution and carbon emissions, in line with the trend of low-carbon development. And down comes from poultry farming, with high carbon emissions in its industrial chain, and some low-quality down also has issues such as live plucking that violate animal ethics.

Significant cost advantage:Recycled polyester staple fiberThe raw material and processing costs of cotton filling are much lower than those of down, generally only one-third to one-fifth of the cost of high-quality goose down, which is very suitable for large-scale production of affordable goods.

Weak warmth retention: Recycled polyester filling cotton usually has a fluffiness of 300 to 500FP, with moderate warmth retention. If you want to improve the warmth retention effect, you need to increase the filling amount, which can easily appear bulky. And high-quality down can achieve a fluffiness of 600 to 800 FP, with insulation performance far exceeding that of recycled polyester staple fibers under the same filling weight, and is even lighter.

Poor fluffy rebound performance: Recycled polyester filling cotton is prone to becoming compact and compacted after long-term compression, and the rebound recovery speed is slow. For example, recycled cotton quilts that have been folded for a long time often need to be air dried and patted to gradually regain their fluffiness. Down can quickly rebound after compression and is not easily compacted even after long-term use.

Advantages in moisture resistance and cleanliness: Recycled polyester fibers have a moisture absorption rate of only 0.4%, strong hydrophobicity, and are not easily clumped when in contact with water. They can also be washed directly in the gentle mode of a washing machine, and their performance is basically not affected after drying. Once down absorbs moisture, it is prone to clumping and mold growth. It is usually not machine washed and requires professional dry cleaning. In humid environments, the insulation effect will also sharply decrease.

Low allergenicity: Recycled polyester has a stable chemical structure, qualified products have no odor or dust, and are friendly to children and people with allergies. Some people may be allergic to feather debris or microorganisms in down, so it is necessary to use high-purity down with a velvet content of over 95% to reduce the risk of allergies.

Compared to synthetic cotton

Significant environmental advantages: Recycled polyester staple fiber is a product of resource recycling, which can reduce plastic waste, lower crude oil consumption, and has significant low-carbon properties. Synthetic cotton is made from native polyester staple fibers, relying on oil extraction, with high energy consumption and carbon emissions, which does not conform to the trend of sustainable development.

Cost competitive: generally made from recycled PETRecycled polyester staple fiberThe cost is lower than that of native PET slices, but if the purity requirements for recycled materials are high, such as recycled materials, the cost may be similar to that of raw materials. The raw material of synthetic cotton is industrial grade virgin PET, and its price is greatly affected by international oil prices, with more significant fluctuations than recycled materials.

Similar performance: the chemical structure of regenerated polyester is identical to that of original polyester, and the bulkiness is about 300-500FP. There is no significant difference in breaking strength, water washing resistance and aging resistance. Just some low-quality recycled polyester filling cotton may have slightly lower fluffiness due to impurities.

Safety is guaranteed: qualified recycled polyester filling cotton needs to pass VOCs testing, formaldehyde free certification, etc., to avoid problems such as odor caused by impurities in recycled materials. The production process of native polyester is mature and easier to meet various environmental and safety standards, such as the requirements of the national standard GB 18401. It has high quality stability and is suitable for clothing filling.