Prada to launch recycled nylon bag collection made from ocean plastic

'It’s the start of an era for us. We see a lot of demand on the market'

Prada's 'Re-Nylon' bag collection (Prada)

Prada has announced plans to launch a collection of nylon bags made from recycled plastic.

The Italian luxury fashion house has become renowned over the past four decades for its widespread use of nylon, launching the nylon "Vela" backpack in 1984 and a nylon clothing collection a decade later.

The company has now revealed that it plans on only using nylon that has been recycled by 2021, in addition to launching a bag range called the "Re-Nylon" collection.

The six bags in the range will be made from the synthetic fabric created by recycling ocean plastic, fishing nets and textile fibre waste.

"It's a massive reduction of nylon and a big impact in terms of sustainability," Lorenzo Bertelli, head of marketing and communication at Prada Group, told Business of Fashion.

"We want to do things not just for marketing reasons, but seriously, in big numbers."

The "Re-Nylon" collection will include a belt bag, a shoulder bag and two Prada backpacks.

Bertelli explained that the move to using reclaimed nylon is the "start of an era" for Prada, having noted "a lot of demand on the market".

"I hope every competitor will move to more sustainable manufacturing approaches," Bertelli said.

"Econyl", the form of nylon made from recycled plastic materials, is already used by fashion brands including Stella McCartney, Adidas and Triumph.

Last month, Prada announced that it would be removing fur from it's women's collections by February 2020.

“Focusing on innovative materials will allow the company to explore new boundaries of creative design while meeting the demand for ethical products," said Miuccia Prada, head designer of the fashion house.

Prada previously manufactured apparel using mink, fox and rabbit fur.

For all the latest fashion news, click here.