Dyecoshell™ Mono

The importance of the Mono Series today.

In the fast-growing textile sector, where fashion trends come and go ever faster, the environmental impact of producing clothing and accessories is becoming a pressing concern. The industry's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, dependence on limited resources and increasing textile waste pose significant sustainability challenges.

"An important step in the direction of sustainable bag development."

The introduction of the Mono Series comes at a crucial time. With the upcoming European Union regulations requiring separate collection of textiles from 2025, the amount of textile waste collected will increase significantly. This creates an urgent need for innovative recycling solutions and products designed with their end of life in mind. With this in mind, our Mono Series Minimal Pack embodies the concept of 'Design for Recycling', which aims to create products with clear material flows and recycling-friendly features. With the Mono Series, we want to revolutionize the bag market. 

In the search for alternative solutions Heimplanet years of research and development, we present the first backpack of the new Mono Series - the Mono Series Minimal Pack. A fully recyclable backpack made from our specially developed Dyecoshell™ Mono material. The development process was supported by the Institute for Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology. Our concept idea was reviewed by external specialists to ensure that our mono concept works and that the Dyecoshell™ Mono material can be recycled as planned.

Why is recycling so important?

Clothing production almost doubled between 2000 and 2015, with the majority of production consisting of fast fashion items that are of inferior quality and therefore need to be replaced too often. In addition, they are produced to meet current trends, which means that they do not enter a proper cycle of use but are discarded as soon as their appeal diminishes.

Most problematically, a significant proportion of these textiles are not recycled and instead end up in landfill or incinerators, exacerbating environmental problems. With this in mind, the new Mono Series takes a significant step towards reducing the environmental footprint of our everyday accessories. By focusing on a fully recyclable and timeless design, we are not only addressing the waste problem but also setting a new standard for the industry.

"The relationship with our products doesn't end when they leave our shelves - we take responsibility before, during and after the equipment is used."

Not all recycling is the same.

The Minimal Pack is not only fully recyclable, but also enables a more environmentally friendly form of recycling. There are different types of recycling which, depending on the complexity of the recycled goods, require different amounts of energy and chemicals to break down their components and make them usable again.

Mechanical recycling (tearing):

In mechanical recycling, textiles are shredded to produce new yarn or nonwovens. The original chemical structure of the materials is retained. Although this process is energy-efficient, it results in low-quality fibers (downcycling). New raw materials have to be added in order to be able to manufacture high-quality products again. It was clear that a truly sustainable solution that would win over the masses could not compromise on quality. A purely mechanical process would therefore never meet the quality requirements that we place on our products. With a fixed result in mind, the only option is to reduce the input as much as possible.

Chemical recycling: what is the next best alternative?

During the research and development process, it became clear that some form of chemical recycling of our Mono Series bags would be necessary to obtain the high-quality fibers needed to produce a "new" bag. In a controlled environment, the plastics are broken down into chemical intermediates (also known as monomers). The result is high-quality raw fibers - basically a new-quality material without the need to add new components, as is the case with mechanical recycling.

Video: Before and after hydrolysis. White particles (stretched coating material) can still be seen on the left. Towards the end of hydrolysis, the liquid contains hardly any solid particles.

The three pillars of the Mono Series

I. Recyclability:

An outstanding feature of the Mono Series is its construction from a single material: polyester. For this we have developed our own fabric called Dyecoshell™ Mono. Material blends in textiles pose one of the biggest challenges for recycling, as they are often economically or technologically unfeasible due to complex separation processes. With our mono-material design, we ensure that the backpack can be recycled easily and efficiently. We were able to achieve this by replacing many components with a polyester alternative - 3D mesh instead of EVA foam, polyester webbings instead of polyamide, polyester fleece for the laptop compartment and polyester zippers. Even our branding comes in a polyester form. For the hardware components, all Heimplanet-bags use durable aluminum parts for the hardware components, and this also applies to the Mono Series. In keeping with our mono-material concept, we have ensured that all hardware components can be easily removed by hand.

II Resource efficiency:

By using our Dyecoshell™ technology, which is already used in the majority of Heimplanetbags, we avoid the most damaging and resource-intensive process of fabric production - dyeing. While Dyecoshell™ has improved the way we make new products, Dyecoshell™ Mono marks the next stage in our fabric development with a clear focus on the life of products after use. In addition, the new Dyecoshell™ Mono material itself is made from 50% recycled material in the blue and burgundy colors and even 100% in the case of the black Minimal Pack. To make the bags weatherproof, the new material uses a TPEE lamination instead of the conventional and more harmful PU coatings. Resource efficiency naturally also applies to the recycling process itself. As already mentioned, some form of chemical recycling is necessary to avoid downcycling. Normally, chemical recycling is energy-intensive and produces chemical waste. However, thanks to our concept, both the necessary energy input and waste are significantly reduced. Consequently, Dyecoshell™ Mono enables the recovery of quasi-new material with minimal impact.

III. durability and longevity:

Despite its recyclability, the Mono Series Minimal Pack is both aesthetically and functionally durable. A durable design means fewer replacements and less frequent recycling, further reducing the environmental impact over time. Abrasion-resistant fabrics combined with robust aluminum parts guarantee an extended lifespan. Speaking of durability, the Mono Series Minimal Pack, like all Heimplanetproducts, comes with a lifetime guarantee, underlining our commitment to providing long-lasting solutions for our users. In terms of appearance, we focus on a minimalist aesthetic to reduce the complexity of material blends while offering a timeless silhouette that defies current trends.

"The Mono Series Minimal Pack - The most environmentally friendly backpack we can make today."

We see the Mono Series as a continuous development process. Although it is unclear what the final picture will look like, it is clear that changes are necessary. It is therefore our ambition to continue to drive this development through innovative concepts and to actively participate in promoting progress. Join us on this journey and carry the future today!

*Deep Dive: PU vs TPEE]

1. Chemical structure:
• Polyurethane (PU): Polyurethane consists of hard and soft segments that are linked by urethane bonds. These bonds are chemically stable and difficult to break, which makes recycling more complicated.
• TPEE: Thermoplastic elastomers made from ester and ether have a structure that is more easily thermally and chemically degradable. These materials can be recycled relatively easily by heating and forming.
  
  
2. Workability:
• PU coating: PU is often highly cross-linked and forms a dense, stable layer on the textile. This makes the separation of PU and polyester more difficult, as strong solvents or high temperatures are required.
• TPEE coating: TPEE is less strongly cross-linked and is therefore easier to separate from polyester. It requires less aggressive chemical processes to separate the materials.
  
  
3. Energy balances:
• PU coating: The chemical recycling of PU-coated textiles usually requires higher temperatures and stronger solvents, which leads to higher energy consumption.
• TPEE coating: The recycling of TPEE-coated textiles is generally more energy-efficient, as separation and reprocessing require less intensive conditions.
  
  
4. Waste products:
• PU coating: The use of strong solvents and high temperatures can lead to toxic waste products that have to be disposed of or treated at great expense.
• TPEE coating: The waste products from TPEE recycling are generally less toxic and easier to handle. Less harmful chemicals are produced, making the process more environmentally friendly.