In sustainable sourcing conversations, the terms RPET and recycled polyester are often used as if they were the same thing. They are closely related — but the distinction matters when you are comparing suppliers or writing product claims.
The short answer
RPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) is the material; recycled polyester is the fabric made from it. RPET is the resin that comes from recycling PET bottles and post-consumer polyester, and when it is spun into fibre and woven or knitted into cloth, that cloth is recycled polyester fabric. Every RPET fabric is recycled polyester, but suppliers use the two terms to emphasize different things.
Why the distinction matters
When a supplier says “RPET”, they are usually highlighting the recycled origin — bottles diverted from landfill. When they say “recycled polyester”, they are describing the fibre itself, which can come from bottles or from recycled textile waste. For compliance and marketing claims, what matters is verifiable recycled content — certification such as GRS traces it through the supply chain.
What to ask a supplier
Three questions cover most of the risk: (1) What percentage of the product is recycled content? (2) Which certification backs that claim (for example GRS)? (3) Does the mill hold social compliance audits such as SEDEX? Bontex's RPET products carry GRS and SEDEX credentials, and quantity pricing starts at 50 pieces.
Explore the materials and fabric range or ask our team for certified options.