ESG Outlook: Pyratex’s Regina Polanco on Joining the B Corp Community
ESG Outlook is Sourcing Journal’s discussion series with industry executives to get their take on their company’s latest environmental, social and governance initiatives and their own personal efforts toward sustainability. Here, Regina Polanco, founder and CEO of Spanish textile manufacturer PYRATEX, discusses ESG commitment and why transparency is so important.
Company: PYRATEX
Name: Regina Polanco
Title: Founder & CEO
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What do you consider to be your company’s best ESG-related achievement over the last 5 years?
PYRATEX develops innovative fibers into yarn and fabrics and offers them to designers and brands, making them available and understandable to a broad public. The fibers we use for our fabric and knit collections are new, natural, recycled or regenerative. Some examples are banana agri-waste, SEACELL and post-consumer recycled cotton. We aim to replace synthetic fibers with natural fabrics that are just as functional. A good example of that are our PYRATEX power fabrics, featuring MicroTencel and providing for a biobased alternative for the synthetic fabrics typically used in swimwear. We worked with Mara Hoffman on this, as an example.
What is your personal philosophy on shopping and caring for your clothes?
We all have our convictions and values, but these can be compromised once it concerns taste and wallet! I try to buy pieces that last, are made of certified natural fibers and are produced locally. For special occasions, I have found some showstopping pieces on Vestiaire Collective, and Vinted is another great platform to give a second life to a garment that you’ve finished wearing. Caring for clothes is very important to extend their life. Thanks to the Spanish sunny weather I do not have a need for a dryer.
How much do you look into a brand’s social or environmental practices before shopping?
PYRATEX supplies its innovative materials to all types of brands, so being part of the textile industry makes it almost impossible not to at least have a notion about a brand’s ESG practices! We are often contacted by amazing new brands that put sustainability at the core of their business, so it’s very tempting to buy there. Good examples of recent purchases are Savannah Morrow and Fiorucci.
It’s a “professional deformation” to always check the care label when shopping. And even though I love jeans, because of the sheer amount of water they consume during production, I simply stopped buying them.
Anything new you are doing to boost sustainability beyond the fashion industry?
At the office we recycle and we make the effort to use eco-products in our daily office life, like recycled paper towels and biodegradable packaging as an alternative for plastic. The nice thing about being a startup is that we are small enough to organize bi-weekly masterclasses that touch upon topics like sustainability (i.e., how to recycle, or the meaning of certifications). And being located in the center of Madrid allows our team to get to work by walking, public transport or biking.
What is the biggest misconception consumers have about sustainability in fashion?
Sustainability can be complex because there are so many ways to be sustainable. Major misconceptions are what happens when the garment reaches its end of life, and how much is actually being recycled. Consumers are often not aware that a truckload of textile waste ends up in landfills every second and that only 1 percent of the waste is recycled back into clothes. And despite all efforts, the production of virgin polyester and the fast fashion market industry are only increasing.
At PYRATEX, we recognize the importance of transparent supply chains. However, highlighting the innovative and responsible aspect of our materials can be challenging. We believe in the importance of clearly presenting the correct information to our customers, so we provide 360 comprehensive support service when using our cutting-edge materials, including transparency with certifications, impact reports as well as assistance with communication.
What was your company’s biggest takeaway from the Covid crisis?
We noticed how customers were paying more attention to the functionality of the materials that they are wearing. The skin is the largest organ, after all, and we make sure that the beneficial properties—like anti-irritation and breathability—are maintained throughout our production stages by having them tested by European Textile Institutes. The fact that the company was able to grow during such a difficult time, made us understand that PYRATEX is resilient as a company and on the right track.
What is your company’s latest ESG-related initiative?
We just joined the B Corp community, having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent our commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit. As a company that specializes in R&D, we also recently added new fibers to our collection, like Orange Fiber, a cellulosic fiber originating from orange peels agri-waste and wood pulp.
As consumers become more aware of worker conditions and how clothing is produced, how can the industry best spread the word on progress?
Transparency of the supply chain is key as well as increasing awareness of consumers. Even today lots of brands do not communicate about where or how they are producing and if they do, standardization of the key performance indicators remains a challenge. The industry needs to reach a consensus on how to define and communicate about ESG. Luckily, legislation is starting to catch up, so consumers can start making informed decisions and choose with their wallet. For companies that are looking to make that change, PYRATEX offers the perfect holistic solution of responsible materials and support on how to communicate about them.
What do you consider to be the apparel industry’s biggest missed opportunity related to securing meaningful change?
During and right after Covid, we saw that brands were moving operations closer to home, nearshoring instead of off-shoring, and this had a positive impact on CO2 emissions. Now, with the current inflation and general increase of costs, we see that brands are moving their productions to Asia again.
The textile sector is failing to match other sectors in terms of executive compensation tied to sustainability. According to Fashion Revolution, only 18 percent of brands are disclosing the percentage of executive pay tied to human rights and environmental targets. Meaningful change will come when companies start to tie incentives to emission reductions.
That’s why transparency in the supply chain and on ESG is so important. When brands have transparent supply chains, we can trace the journey our fashion choices have made. The clothes you wear have an impact, and together we can make it a positive one.
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