Turning textile trash into treasure

Ever wondered what happens when you throw out an old T-shirt? Maybe you donate it to a thrift shop and it gets a second life in someone else’s closet. But eventually most clothing ends up as trash, either in the landfill or in massive mounds around the globe.

Patricia Ermecheo is changing that. The entrepreneur and founder of OSOMTEX is the first person to figure out how to turn used clothes into high-quality yarn that can be woven into something new. Her patented yarn has been used to create a limited-edition brand-name sneaker, uniforms for the 2020 USA Olympic team and even a pair of socks worn inside the International Space Station — all made from recycled clothing that was bound for the landfill.

The problem with textile trash

Patricia started working with recycled textiles in 2011 with her business selling second-hand clothing from the United States to small retailers in South America. That experience opened her eyes to the massive volume of textiles that are discarded in the U.S. every year.

“My brain couldn’t understand how much clothing was going to the landfill for no reason,” she says. “I felt like it was so wrong, and I had to come up with a better solution.”

One day at a clothes sorting facility, Patricia noticed a particularly large container of unsellable clothing headed for the dump. Shocked at the amount of waste, she looked up “recycling machine for clothing.” She found no results. Rather than accept a defeating reality, she decided to act.

Creating a solution to a complicated problem

Doing something that has never been done before isn’t easy. Patricia was confident that she could achieve her goal of turning landfill-bound clothing into production-grade yarn. She just had to figure out how to do it.

“If I have a vision, I can make it happen,” Patricia says. She spent over a year doing research, meeting with global fashion executives and talking to engineers who understood how to build her dream machine. When she was ready to start production, there was no question that she would do it in the most sustainable way possible.

Today, not only does her company divert more than 11 million pounds of discarded textiles from the landfill annually, but it also avoids harsh chemicals, water and dyes in the manufacturing process. Its factories use fair-trade labor practices and are powered by solar energy. In an industry that’s driven by trends and high turnover, Patricia is fully committed to doing things in a new way.

Not taking ‘no’ for an answer

When she first started OSOMTEX, Patricia got used to hearing the word “no.” She was turned away by bankers, professors and industry leaders who thought her idea was too out-of-the-box.

But Patricia didn’t let the negativity get her down. “For me, ‘no’ didn’t mean anything,” she says. “I was just talking to the wrong people.”

After hearing “no” countless times, Patricia finally got a big “yes” from Chase. “From the start, there was positivity, excitement and momentum,” she says of her relationship with Chase for Business.

With Chase, Patricia opened her first line of credit, which she used to push her business forward. She also joined the Chase for Business Coaching for Impact™ program, where she was paired with a consultant who helped her grow the company and learn more about foundational business concepts like cash flow.

“My bankers at Chase are so accessible,” she says. “They support me like family and are genuinely excited about my success.”

Mobile banking that can keep up

Patricia also relies on Chase mobile banking to handle finances while she’s on the road. As someone who tends to move quickly, she appreciates that the Chase app’s streamlined interface doesn’t slow her down.

“Chase definitely makes my life easier,” she says. “I’m already very worried about solving something so complicated, so I need everything else around me to work as great as Chase apps and bankers do.”

Sending OSOMTEX to space

Growing up close to nature, Patricia is deeply passionate about all the wonders of our planet — and feels a responsibility to treat it well. “Nature is everything,” she says. “Earth is our home. It’s the only home we have.”

Through a stroke of serendipity, Patricia connected with astronaut Doug Hurley, who worked on the first-ever crewed flight to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon — and wore OSOMTEX socks on the journey.

“The socks ended up floating in the Space Station because of my view of Earth, because I share the same perspective as the astronauts when they’re on the Space Station,” Patricia says. “They see Earth from the outside, and they realize that we don’t live in Houston or in Florida. We live on Earth.”

In it for the planet

In creating OSOMTEX, Patricia has earned a reputation as a pioneer in the textile industry. Her innovative manufacturing process is paving the way for other fashion companies to operate on a closed-loop system, which is better for the Earth and all living things.

“I never say I want to save the world,” Patricia says. “The world will save itself. We just need to do the right thing as humans.”

Work with bankers who believe in you

If you’re running your own business, you deserve to work with bankers who fully support your goals and can help connect you with the resources to make it happen. Get in touch with a Chase business banker to learn more about how we can help you achieve your vision.