Recycled polyester, also known as rPET, is obtained by melting down existing plastic and re-spinning it into new polyester fiber/yarn. While much attention is given to rPET made from plastic bottles and containers thrown away by consumers, in reality polyethylene terephthalate can be recycled from both post-industrial and post-consumer input materials. But, just to give an example, five soda bottles yield enough fiber for one extra-large T-shirt. Recycled polyester gives a second life to a material that’s not biodegradable and would otherwise end up in a landfill or the ocean. Recycled polyester is almost the same as virgin polyester in terms of quality, but its production requires 59 percent less energy compared to virgin polyester. In addition, recycled polyester can contribute to reducing the extraction of crude oil and natural gas from the Earth to make more plastic. “Using recycled polyester lessens our dependence on petroleum as a source of raw materials.”