Material Guide
rPET Felt
A soft, versatile felt material made using recycled PET.
A soft, versatile felt material made using recycled PET, giving recovered plastic another use in durable everyday products.
What is rPET felt?
rPET felt is a textile-like material made using fibres derived from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic commonly used for beverage bottles and other packaging.
Recovered PET is processed into recycled polyester fibres, which can then be formed into felt sheets suitable for manufacturing a wide variety of products.
The result has the soft, structured appearance associated with felt while incorporating recycled plastic content.
From recovered PET to felt
- 1
Collected
Used PET material is recovered for recycling.
- 2
Sorted & cleaned
Suitable PET is separated and prepared for processing.
- 3
Made into fibre
The recycled PET is processed into polyester fibre.
- 4
Formed into felt
The fibres are bonded together to create sheets of rPET felt for manufacturing.
rPET felt in promotional merchandise
The structured yet soft nature of rPET felt makes it suitable for a wide variety of promotional merchandise.
Bags & sleeves
Tote bags, laptop sleeves and pouches are common applications for rPET felt.
Document folders & organisers
Folders, organisers and desk accessories make use of felt's structure.
Notebooks
Felt covers and notebook wraps can be produced using recycled PET felt.
Coasters & accessories
Coasters and other small accessories can also be cut and formed from rPET felt.
Why choose rPET felt?
Uses recycled material. Incorporates recovered PET into a new material rather than relying solely on virgin polyester.
Soft yet structured. Felt provides a distinctive tactile finish while maintaining enough structure for many everyday applications.
Versatile. rPET felt can be cut, stitched and formed into a wide variety of promotional products.
A different use for recovered PET. Shows how recycled PET can be transformed beyond conventional polyester fabrics into a distinctly different material.
What's the difference between rPET and rPET felt?
Both materials can begin with recovered PET, but the finished materials can look and feel very different.
rPET is commonly converted into polyester yarn and woven or knitted into fabric for products such as bags, apparel and textiles.
rPET felt uses recycled polyester fibres that are bonded together rather than woven, creating the thicker, soft and structured material associated with felt.
Same recycled material. Different finish. rPET describes recycled PET material, while rPET felt describes a particular felt construction made using recycled PET fibres.
Material composition
Material composition and recycled-content percentages can vary between products.
The exact recycled-content percentage should be taken from the individual product information rather than assumed across the range.
Ecosource displays specific percentages only where supplier information supports them.
What about carbon impact?
Material choice is only one part of a product's overall carbon footprint.
Manufacturing, product weight, packaging, decoration, quantity, transport and final destination can all influence the footprint of a finished order.
Where supplier-provided product carbon information is available, Ecosource displays it separately on the relevant product.
Understanding the claim
A product described as rPET felt contains felt made using recycled PET, but this does not necessarily mean that every component of the finished product is recycled.
Avoid assuming that:
- zips, handles, linings, fasteners and trims may be made from different materials;
- recycled-content percentages can vary between products;
- a felt component does not mean the whole product is made from recycled PET.
Recycled-content percentages should only be stated where that information is available for the individual product.
Explore rPET Felt products
Discover promotional products in our range made using recycled PET felt.