This UAE company’s trademarked Greenspun fabric is making waves with high-quality, recycled clothing.

B2B apparel company DGrade, founded in 2010 by Kris and Emma Barber, specializes in creating clothing from recycled PET bottles. In his youth, Kris was a surfer and skateboarder. His hobbies exposed him directly to the effects of marine and urban pollution. To combat these issues, he became an active supporter of the UK charity Surfers Against Sewage.

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Eventually, the clothing industry brought the couple together, with Kris in manufacturing as a supplier and Emma as a wholesale buyer. When he came to Dubai and started his company, Kris decided to focus only on recycled fabrics. Now, he has developed over 250 fabrics, all made with DGrade’s signature Greenspun yarn.

A Greener Choice

In a conversation with Emma, the managing director of DGrade, we discussed how the company is impacting sustainability in the textile industry. DGrade has a focus on uniforms—whether for sports teams or hotel staff, DGrade can provide sustainable clothing options. Greenspun fabrics use less water and energy, produce less carbon emissions, and don’t use any oil compared to traditional polyester. As Emma said, “The staff are wearing uniforms one way or another. So why not make them sustainably?”

By sourcing clothing from DGrade, companies can make sure their products have an end-of-life. DGrade partners with a subsidiary of the Germany company SOEX to collect, separate, and shred end-of-life clothing. That way, Greenspun clothing can be downcycled into new textile items, such as stuffings and curtains.

DGrade’s facility processes three tons, or 150,000 water bottles, per hour. With a high demand for plastic waste, they partner with waste management companies to source recyclable PET. Additionally, through their award-winning outreach program Simply Bottles, DGrade collects bottles from schools and provides recycling education to students.

Supporting Innovation and Sustainability Initiatives

Emma discussed how, when DGrade began, recycled fabrics in general were not very fine or high quality. The company initially used downcycled material to make products such as carpets. “[Kris] spent years trying to refine that,” Emma said. Now, DGrade wants the Greenspun name to be recognizable and synonymous with quality and sustainability.

When asked about the drivers of growth for DGrade, Emma mentioned the rising awareness of sustainability. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals have drawn attention to sustainable initiatives on a global scale. In 2023, the UN held COP28, their 28^th Climate Change Conference, in the UAE, the home of DGrade. COP28 gave DGrade an exciting opportunity to make all the employees’ uniforms for the conference. This allowed the company to display their product on a large scale, gaining new customers and spreading recycling awareness. As many businesses strive for a greener footprint, sourcing Greenspun uniforms is an intuitive way to make a difference.