O’Mara Introduces Polyester Yarns Made From Reclaimed Bottles

Furniture World Magazine

Responding to growing consumer and industry demand for environmentally friendly textiles, O’Mara, Inc., a leading full-line producer of nylon and polyester yarns, says they have introduced the world’s only filament polyester yarn made from 100% post-consumer plastic beverage containers. Eco-Fil has been termed “greener than green” because the environmental benefits of its 100% post-consumer content are far greater than those of merely “recycled” products. Company President Tim O’Mara explained, “It’s critical to realize the difference between post-consumer waste and other recycled materials. Eco-Fil is made exclusively from PET bottles that have actually been filled with beverages, depleted by the consumer, and reclaimed from the waste stream.” Mr. O’Mara pointed out that many textile companies claiming to use 100% recycled components are actually including factory scraps, production line rejects and other materials salvaged or diverted from upstream “post-industrial waste”—which is normally reclaimed anyway. These textiles may contain only five- to ten-percent actual post-consumer waste, he said. He also cautioned that proportions of source materials in these yarns often vary, resulting in inconsistent quality and performance. “You never know what you’re getting,” he warned. By recapturing the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from emptied bottles, the Eco-Fil process ensures a true “closed-loop” product lifecycle, yielding substantial ecological benefits: It reduces the depletion of natural resources, eases the burden on landfills, requires less energy use, and reduces America’s reliance on imported petrochemicals. As a synthetic material, Eco-Fil also eliminates the need for herbicides and pesticides used for natural fibers. Economic benefits include more stable, predictable sourcing and prices for recycled raw materials, independent of world petroleum markets. About O’Mara, Inc. O’Mara, Inc. is a private, ISO 9001-certified producer of filament yarns, with 37 years of industry experience. Under its flagship OMTEX™ brand, the company produces a full line of polyester filament yarns for knitting and weaving, and Type 6 and Type 66 nylon filament yarns for narrow fabrics and knitwear. All OMTEX yarns can be solution-dyed, texturized and partially or fully drawn to meet specifications for a broad range of textile applications. O’Mara, Inc. maintains manufacturing plants in Rutherford College, NC and Guntersville, AL; and executive offices in both Rutherford College and Wayne, PA. From its strategic East Coast locations, the company is able to provide fast, reliable delivery to customers across the country. As a private firm, O’Mara, Inc. places a premium on providing a superior level of service and value to its customers. For more information about Eco-Fil email tomara@omarainc.com