PARIS — Paris-based purpose-driven accessories label Rivedroite is launching a new line of bags made from 100 percent recycled beach plastic, as the brand expands its focus on circularity and localized production.
The initiative, called the Reborn Collective, was developed in partnership with start-up material innovation company Mika and has created a new textile thread made entirely from discarded plastic waste collected on the Moroccan coast.
The launch marks a significant evolution for Rivedroite, a nine-year-old brand founded by sisters Yasmine Auquier Buron and Sofia Buron, along with Aurélie Jansem, to create a line of ethical and practical pouches and totes and built its brand around upcycled cotton canvas sourced from production offcuts and is best known for its leopard print packs.
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With the Reborn Collective, the company moves into synthetic materials for the first time, targeting higher performance and durability while maintaining a low environmental footprint. Unlike many recycled plastic initiatives that rely on industrial waste or post-consumer plastic bottles, the Reborn Collective uses plastic waste collected directly from beaches.
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Launched in 2021, Mika, which means “plastic” in Arabic, aims to protect oceans by collecting plastic waste across Atlantic coastlines in Africa. The plastic used in Reborn Collective comes from the beaches of Morocco, particularly around Essaouira, where ocean currents deposit daily waves of waste, much of it from Europe. The project employs a local team of 30 wastepickers.
The material is washed, processed locally into balls, flakes and/or pellets that meet European industrial standards, and then spun into a high-grade thread, without blending with virgin plastic or chemical additives.
This direct collection and proximity to production is important given the environmental cost of plastic recycling models that rely on exports to Southeast Asia. “The idea was to keep the entire value chain — from collection to transformation — in the same region,” said Auquier Buron.
The Reborn Collective project is focused on the beaches near Essouaria. “They have those big, large, beautiful beaches, and it’s a high place for tourism. So they really feel and see this catastrophe of plastic waste on the beaches,” said Auquier Buron. She added that they do a beach cleanup every day, only to be confronted with the same amount of waste the following day.
The brand is betting on quality as its main differentiator. Because the waste is collected just days after washing up onshore, the plastic retains its structural integrity and does not degrade from prolonged exposure to sun and saltwater. That allows Reborn Collective to produce a thread that is durable enough to be used on its own, without the typical blending process or use of chemicals that reduce recyclability later on.
The resulting fabric is water-repellent, heavy duty and designed for long-term use. It forms the basis of a new line of urban bags that includes the brand’s first backpack, as well as totes, weekenders and gym bags.
The aesthetic remains consistent with Rivedroite’s sleek, unisex and utilitarian style, but the material gives the products added durability and a technical edge.
Jansem said the yarn can be adapted to different weights and weaves, creating potential applications beyond fashion. A key advantage? Polyester’s adaptability. Compared to natural fibers like cotton, polyester is easier to dye, coat, laminate and bond with other materials, making it an ideal base for more technical and durable products. They’re in the process of developing outerwear, such as rain jackets, in the future.
The team wants to achieve maximum impact with the new tech. The thread itself will be available for sale to other brands, and early discussions are underway with other sportswear labels and with companies in the furniture and automotive sectors.
“That’s why Reborn Collective is way larger than Rivedroite,” said Auquier Buron.
The company will be prioritizing partners that share its values around local production and environmental transparency. While many brands use recycled polyester, it is often from industrial waste and the material is made in China.
Production for the Reborn Collective items will be based in Turkey. The Mediterranean country was chosen for its technical ability, experience working with polyester, high level of environmental certifications and competitive price point compared to other European countries. As a major garment-producing country, making the bags in Turkey will allow for large-scale production and more competitive pricing.
While Rivedroite maintains is decentralized production of its cotton goods with individual sewers in Morocco, the independent brand’s decision to produce its new material in Turkey reflects the challenge of balancing sustainability with cost in a market increasingly driven by price-sensitive consumers, Auquier Buron said.
“It was very important for us to know, even though we try to have a long lifespan for the product, at the end, it can be recycled to its original matter and become plastic ready to be reused,” said Auquier Buron.
She highlighted that while some argue against the use of recycled plastic as it can still shed microplastics, the volume of virgin plastic being produced each year continues to increase. “It’s not stopping at all, so we need to collect whatever is wasted and commit to keeping it out of the ocean.”
The first Reborn Collective pieces will hit Rivedroite’s Paris stores on Wednesday, as well as be available through its website and select retailers.