Repeltec, Waste2Wear and Logonet join forces to create the Uniform of the Future and support the Jan
A transformation is happening in the uniform marketplace. Repeltec, Waste2Wear and Logonet, each with different touch points in the textiles industry, have come together to develop an environmentally friendly and insect repellent uniform to help commemorate 60 Years of ground-breaking research by the legendary primatologist Jane Goodall and the hard work carried out by the researchers and rangers at the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) in Gombe, Tanzania. 2020 has highlighted the delicate balance between people, animals and our planet and the true dedication and commitment of the rangers was never more apparent than during the Covid-19 lockdown in the region. The rangers who protect the endangered chimpanzees in Gombe, continued to work through the daunting challenges the pandemic caused, to ensure that all the animals were adequately protected.
People and the natural world are intrinsically linked, and we need to respect that relationship now, more than ever. One part of this equation is the solution to uniforms that answers a couple of genuine needs in the market. This was achieved by the partnership between Waste2Wear, an innovative textile company that recycles plastic bottles into textile quality polyester; Affix Labs with their product Repeltec, that binds an environmentally friendly yet highly durable ingredient to textiles and makes them actively insect repellent but does not kill the insects; and Logonet a leader in the field of uniform design. These three companies echo the same values as the JGI of ‘Discovery, Innovation and Hope’. They collaborated to contribute these uniforms to show appreciation for the incredible work the JGI does for animals, people and our planet.
The resulting uniforms are not only practical but have a positive impact on the environment and the wearer. The uniforms protect wearers from the diseases spread by biting insects twice over by reducing insect landings and disorienting them so they cannot bite. This is done with Repeltecs eco-friendly solution designed to replace widely used but hazardous permethrin and with the added advantage of having an area of effect around the garment, essentially creating a halo effect. Using Waste2Wear means it is also achieved while saving on the considerable natural resource requirements for the manufacture of traditional textiles and simultaneously preventing plastics ending up in landfill.
Founder of pioneering textile company Waste2Wear, Monique Maissan, has always been passionate about creating high quality products that relieve our planet, saying: “It is a privilege to donate these uniforms and t-shirts to the Jane Goodall Institute in recognition of the truly valuable work they do to protect chimpanzees, other animals and our planet”
The uniforms were made by Waste2Wear out of a soft and durable recycled polyester cotton fabric. In an environmental study, the production of these uniforms saved 2,484 PET bottles from ending up in a landfill; 2,347 liters of water was saved which would take one person 2 years to consume, 188kg of CO2 was saved which would take 8 years for one tree to absorb, and 2,527Mj of energy was saved which is enough to fuel a light bulb for 2 years.
Using this innovative fabric, Finnish company, Logonet designed the comfortable and easy to wear uniforms for the rangers using their extensive knowledge of the functional ergonomics of Tropical Workwear. Each garment has been treated with eco-friendly ‘Repeltec’ created by Affix Labs, which is a non-toxic insect repellent which is safe to use on skin. Repeltec itself does not kill insects, instead it inhibits them from landing by creating a halo effect on the clothing in which it is embedded. These uniforms are the ideal marriage of three companies and one amazing organization. Each, in their own way, is ground-breaking in their field and believe in doing good for our planet.