Abu Dhabi, UAE:  DGrade, the UAE company known for recycling plastic into sustainable clothing, has announced the opening of a 4,000 square meter recycling factory in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD). The facility will process up to 1 billion plastic bottles a year into recycled plastic flake for the company’s Greenspun™ yarn, and to provide material for local packaging manufacturers.

DGrade’s new factory will recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to meet the increasing demand for sustainable clothing and recycled packaging. Recycling has a key role to play in reducing plastic pollution and the carbon footprint of both the plastics and polyester textile industries, as it reduces energy and water consumption, and produces fewer carbon emissions compared to conventional manufacturing processes.

Kris Barber, DGrade’s CEO explains “Plastic will remain a vital material for packaging because it’s so versatile, cost-effective, and has a low carbon footprint. It is also proven to be one of the most sustainable packaging options when it’s recycled, compared to glass and aluminium. At DGrade our mission is to provide a sustainable solution by recycling plastic into polyester yarn and packaging to support a closed loop and reduce our reliance on resources.”

In addition to using the flake to produce sustainable uniforms and clothing ranges for businesses, DGrade’s PET flake can be used to manufacture a variety of recycled packaging including recycled soap bottles, egg cartons and non-food packaging. In doing so DGrade will support the FMCG sector in achieving their sustainability goals.

The factory will process up to 3,000 kilograms of plastic per hour. To produce DGrade’s high quality PET flake, the recycling process includes hot and cold washing to remove contaminants and state-of-the-art Tomra optical sorting equipment to remove non-PET materials.

The KIZAD location is an ideal fit for DGrade’s purposes. The company has been able to install a custom-built water treatment facility which recycles 80% of water used during the recycling process and next year will be installing solar panels to reduce energy consumption as part of its commitment to improving sustainability.

Abdullah Al Hameli, Head of Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster said: “AD Ports Group is committed to embracing sustainability across every facet of the organisation through the alignment of strategies with both global and local priorities, such as the UN Global Compact, Sustainable Development Goals for example, and recent commitment for the UAE to be Net Zero by 2050.

“Today, the Green Agenda in Abu Dhabi and the UAE is moving ahead with ambitious initiatives upcoming, such as the transition away from single-use plastic, and the incentive-based bottle return scheme. Adding to these, we are honoured to welcome DGrade’s sustainable manufacturing solutions to KIZAD’s ecosystem to contribute to a cleaner environment for the community and supporting a circular economy in the UAE.”

Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) on the occasion said: “The opening of the DGrade Recycling Factory is in complete alignment with the vision of the leadership of Abu Dhabi and it is also matches our vision and mandate at EAD of conserving the environment in the emirate by encouraging a culture of recycling. We support industries that lean towards the development of a circular economy where resources are utilised in the most efficient manner, and this is what the DGrade Recycling Factory is all about and we endorse it fully.”

She added: “What makes DGrade such a special project, is the fact that it supports a closed loop for plastic by recycling it into sustainable uniforms, clothing, and accessories which helps reduce the amount of plastic reaching landfills which is one of our main environmental concerns. We all strive for the common goal of ensuring that we are creating a healthy environment for all, whether for individuals or biodiversity, as well as our terrestrial and marine habitats that are affected by plastic. Through recycling projects, we help preserve the safety of our precious environment.”

In order to secure feedstock to run the factory at full capacity, in addition to establishing off-take agreements with waste management companies, DGrade runs the Simply Bottles recycling initiative. This initiative works with businesses, events, and schools to increase recycling rates in the UAE. For more information organizations can send an email to info@dgrade.com.

-Ends-

About DGrade FZ LLC

DGrade was established in 2010 to reduce plastic pollution and support a closed loop by recycling plastic bottles into Greenspun™ yarn and recycled flake for packaging manufacturers.

We serve a diverse range of B2B customers, supplying customised uniforms, clothing, and accessories made with our Greenspun™ yarn. In 2019 we were awarded the license to produce official Expo 2020 Dubai merchandise.

Through our award winning Simply Bottles recycling initiative we also work with businesses, events and 200 schools in the UAE to increase recycling rates of plastic bottles.

To learn more visit dgrade.com and follow us @dgradeclothing on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook

Media Contact:
Rebecca Rich
Head of Marketing & CSR, DGrade FZ LLC
Al Barsha South, Dubai, UAE
Email. Rebecca.rich@dgrade.com

About AD Ports Group:

Established in 2006, AD Ports Group today serves as the region’s premier facilitator of logistics, industry, and trade, as well as a bridge linking Abu Dhabi to the world. Listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX: ADPORTS), AD Ports Group’s vertically integrated business approach has proven instrumental in driving the emirate’s economic development over the past decade.

Operating several clusters covering Ports, Economic Cities & Free Zones, Maritime, Logistics, and Digital, AD Ports Group’s portfolio comprises 10 ports and terminals, and more than 550 square kilometres of economic zones within KIZAD and ZonesCorp, the largest integrated trade, logistics, and industrial business grouping in the Middle East.

AD Ports Group is rated A+ by S&P and A+’ Affirmed – Outlook Stable by Fitch.

For more information, please visit: adportsgroup.com

Follow AD Ports Group on:
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/adportsgroup
Instagram: https://instagram.com/adportsgroup
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/adportsgroup
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adportsgroup
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/adportsgroup

About KIZAD

Established in 2010 and operational since 2012, KIZAD is a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, under its Economic Cities & Free Zones portfolio. Strategically located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai - with the deep-water Khalifa Port as its maritime gateway - KIZAD is Abu Dhabi’s integrated trade, logistics and industrial hub facilitating sustainable growth in metals, polymers, food, automotive, water and oil and gas. KIZAD is one of the world’s largest industrial zones, spanning across 410 square kilometres.

For more information, please visit: kizad.ae