Sjoerd Fauser is the founder and CEO of sustainable materials engineering group Archwey.[1]

After reading an article about illegal logging, Fauser decided to manufacture wooden clothing hangers from sustainably-sourced wood that was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.[2]

Fauser and his team also spent 18 months developing an alternative to single-use plastic hangers, which some describe as "the plastic straws of the clothing industry."[3] Fauser estimates that 128 billion plastic hangers are used worldwide every year, and most of them end up being thrown away.[4] Once in landfill, they can take 1000 years to decompose.[5]

While researching marine plastic pollution, Fauser realised that the plastic that clogs up the world's oceans and rivers could be repurposed and recycled to form a new material. He trademarked this material as BLUEWAVE® in 2019.[6]

Most of the plastic that is used to make Bluewave comes from the Yangtze River, the Hai River, the Pearl River and the Yellow River, in China. [7][5]

Arch & Hook's Bluewave hangers have since been used by fashion brands including Roland Mouret[8], Nike [9] and Levi Strauss & Co. [10], shops such as Harrods [11] and at events including London Fashion Week.[12] [2]. The material used to make Arch & Hook hangers is 80% recyclable. [13]

In July 2022, Fauser launched PlasticBean, which supplies recycled plastic pellets for manufacturing, as well as a holding group for the companies, called Archwey.[14]

Archwey has converted more than 32,500 tonnes of plastic waste from four of the world's most polluted rivers into usable plastic.[15]

Archwey’s headquarters are in Singapore because “Asia has been the end destination for plastic waste for decades, and nobody has done anything about it,” said Fauser’s colleague, Allen Lim in an interview with Singapore Business Review in 2022.[16][17]

References

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  1. ^ "Deze Amsterdamse ondernemer verovert vanuit Singapore de wereld met kledinghangers gemaakt van plastic dat uit de zee en rivieren is gevist". 30 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Plastic recycling company launches global headquarters in Singapore | the Straits Times". 21 July 2022.
  3. ^ https://www.graziame.com/style/fashion/plastic-hangers-are-the-plastic-straw-of-the-fashion-industry&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1676889394812025&usg=AOvVaw30UXW4TxcwWkA3gE7gwa46
  4. ^ "Can the Fashion Industry Kick Its Plastic Addiction?" – via www.wired.co.uk.
  5. ^ a b Johnston, Flora Macdonald (September 20, 2019). "Can eco-hangers save the fashion industry?".
  6. ^ "Sjoerd Fauser | CEO - Archwey". Forbes Councils.
  7. ^ "Archwey on making waves to innovate sustainable materials". Singapore Business Review.
  8. ^ May, Naomi (November 19, 2019). "Meghan Markle's friend Roland Mouret launches very modern bridal range". Evening Standard.
  9. ^ "Greening the fashion world". Sustainable Plastics. December 6, 2021.
  10. ^ "Levi's leads the way with environmentally-friendly Melbourne store". Architecture & Design.
  11. ^ https://www.voguebusiness.com/companies/fashion-phase-out-plastic-sustainability
  12. ^ Nast, Condé (September 19, 2019). "How London Fashion Week attempted to tackle the big sustainability issue". Glamour UK.
  13. ^ Cartner-Morley, Jess (September 13, 2019). "Extinction Rebellion activists target London fashion week" – via The Guardian.
  14. ^ Ang, Qing (July 21, 2022). "Plastic recycling company launches global headquarters in Singapore" – via The Straits Times.
  15. ^ MAG, SOLAR (November 30, 2022). "Archwey and EDPR Sunseap promote use of 100% recycled pontoons in floating solar". Solar Magazine.
  16. ^ "Archwey on making waves to innovate sustainable materials".
  17. ^ "荷兰材料集团Archwey 将在我国设立环球总部".