Kris Barber, owner of Dubai company DGrade, has been working in textiles most of his career, but it was his love of surfing that fueled a desire to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. He just never guessed he’d end up wearing it.

Barber, a U.K. native, over time noticed an increase in plastic waste in the oceans. This is why he decided to make a shift from full-time textile production to sustainable textiles.

“When I came across the technology to convert plastic bottles into clothing, I began to see that recycling could be a significant way to decrease plastic pollution and also provide a sustainable solution for textile production,” he tells KUST Review. He also began organizing beach clean-ups and recycling drives to get his community involved.

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CAPTION: Kris Barber IMAGE: DGrade CEO

It was in 2010 when Barber moved with his wife to Dubai and discovered there were no options for sustainably made clothing that he started DGrade.

“When I came across the technology to convert plastic bottles into clothing, I began to see that recycling could be a significant way to decrease plastic pollution and also provide a sustainable solution for textile production,” he tells KUST Review.

He also began organizing beach clean-ups and recycling drives to get his community involved.

“At that time there was very little interest in recycling and sustainability in general, but I knew the market would shift,” he says. “I saw there was a gap in the market for sustainable clothing supply and a necessity for plastic recycling programs.”

DGrade, an eco-clothing company based in Dubai, developed its trademarked Greenspun yarn, in which plastic water bottles are converted into polyester yarn. The plastic flakes are used to create yarn and ultimately fabrics. The Greenspun yarn produces 55 percent fewer carbon emissions, uses 50 percent less energy and 20 percent less water and doesn’t require any oil compared with making conventional polyester yarn.

CAPTION: DGrade recycling factory IMAGE: DGrade

“We can produce more than 200 types of fabric including jersey, quick-dry, twill and denim to make customized clothing and accessories for our (business-to-business) customers.

We manage this production process through our supply-chain partners,” Barber tells KUST Review.

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While many other companies around the world are creating fabric out of plastic and those fabrics are being used by household brands such as Nike and Patagonia to create product, DGrade offers full-service partnerships to its business-to-business clients. This means DGrade does it all — from placing the bins to collecting plastic to producing specific clothing items for businesses and then offering advice on possible next phases for the items — thereby assisting its clients with closed-loop recycling.
Closed-loop recycling is the process of collecting goods and reprocessing or recycling them into new, usable products.

Once the clothing is no longer wearable, DGrade encourages its partners to take advantage of clothing charity bins placed around the city. The discarded clothing is passed on to communities, or if not in good enough condition to be re-worn, is shredded and used as filling for pillows and mattresses or made into carpets.

One of DGrade’s partners is YAS Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. DGrade collects used water bottles from the venue and events and recycles them at the DGrade Recycling Factory. DGrade also supplies uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles for the Yas Marina Circuit team. This helps the track lower its carbon footprint. DGrade also has a stand set up in the sustainability area during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where it can educate the public about closed-loop recycling.

“Through this partnership, Yas Marina Circuit can demonstrate that they divert more than 50,000 plastic bottles from landfill during the Formula 1 event, saving energy, water and carbon emissions,” he says. Every Greenspun T-shirt created saves 25 plastic bottles from landfills, he says.

Though DGrade participates in initiatives like the Yas Marina’s, there is still a lot to be done to reduce plastic waste. In the UAE alone, 4 billion plastic water bottles are manufactured annually, and less than 8 percent are recycled — that means 320 million water bottles end up in landfills every year. Of these, the DGrade Recycling Factory managed to repurpose 60 million in the first six months of 2022. This is due in part because of its Simply Bottles program.

Simply Bottles works with schools and communities to ensure waste made with Type 1 plastic — typically used for water, juice or food containers — is recycled. Participants can choose their level of involvement ranging from collecting plastic to learning about the impact of plastic waste on the environment. More than 250 schools across the UAE participate in the program. Simply Bottles also works with universities, events, hotels and corporations — like Yas Marina Circuit.

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CAPTION: Used bottles are collected, washed and shredded; the plastic flakes are heated and turned into polyester fibers; the fiber is spun into yarn; and finally the yarn is spun to make clothing and accessories IMAGE: Shutterstock

“We believe that DGrade can and will play a significant role in helping the UAE government reach their waste and recycling goals for 2030 by facilitating collection and raising awareness of plastic recycling and a closed loop through our Simply Bottles program,” Barber says.

DGrade has been recognized by the Gulf region on numerous occasions. Awards include Best Sustainability Education or Awareness Program (the Gulf Sustainability Awards); silver in Sustainable Project of the Year (Prime Awards Middle East and Africa); and Most Innovative Technology Product for its Greenspun Yarn (International Business Magazine).

What’s next for DGrade?

After providing official uniforms for the UAE hosted COP28 in November 2023, it plans to assist companies with green initiatives. This includes working with them to recycle plastic bottles, delivering employee education and engaging activities to their teams through its Simply Bottles program, as well as supplying sustainably made uniforms

“DGrade is committed to combating pollution by providing sustainable solutions for plastic and textiles. We do our utmost to contribute to a sustainable future every day through our actions and business model. However we also believe that collaboration and commitment from businesses, government and communities is essential to ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come,” Barber says.