Mining PPE’s second life

Last updated: 28 January 2026

Hi-vis personal protective equipment (PPE) is built to withstand the world’s harshest environments. So when workwear reaches the end of its usable life, it doesn't just disappear – it piles up.

The ReMade initiative is finding ways to overcome this issue by using design, data, and community engagement.

ReMade’s goal is bold but simple: to significantly reduce textile waste. By reimagining, reusing and recycling it aims to intercept our expired workwear before it becomes landfill.

ReMade is being piloted at 2 Rio Tinto operations – Diavik in Canada’s Northwest Territories and Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. The results are providing important lessons for its scalability.

ReMade products include high vis clothing and bags — Working with local artisans near our operations, ReMade gives expired personal protective equipment (PPE) a second life, by transforming used uniforms into a range of practical new products.

Creative recycling with a social purpose

ReMade began by engaging a top designer to reimagine rugged mining workwear into globally desirable accessories.

They were challenged to create designs that could appeal worldwide, would reuse as much material as possible – from sleeves and shirt fronts to hi-vis strips and zips – and ranged in complexity, making them accessible for both beginners and highly skilled artisans.

Signature pieces like tote and pocket bags set the foundation, with additional accessories co-created alongside local communities.

“Solutions always lie in teamwork and in forging alliances – in this case, an unlikely one between heavy industry and visionaries from fashion and design,” Marion Hume, an Ethical Fashion Consultant at ReMade, said.

At Diavik, to generate excitement and participation, a ballgown – made of the last PPE from the now closed Argyle diamond mine – appeared next to a ReMade collection bin.

This drew attention to the new system in place at Diavik, which facilitates collection of worn-out textile PPE onsite. These are then sorted and sent to Yellowknife for their second act.

But ReMade is about more than intercepting waste. Partnering with the Native Women's Association of the NWT (Northwest Territories), the initiative is also creating real opportunities for local Indigenous artisans to celebrate their skills.

Iga wearing accessories from ReMade and posing for camera in front of snowy hill background. — Iga Atagoota, an Inuk seamstress from Pond Inlet, Nunavut, signed up with the Native Women’s Association to make ReMade accessories. She says sewing has deep roots in her family and community and is a source of joy and accomplishment.

“This project is not only a reflection of our collective craftsmanship but also a celebration of the skilled women throughout the Northwest Territories whose work represents resilience, resourcefulness, and pride in our communities,” Jennie Turner, Executive Director, of the Native Women’s Association-Northwest Territories of Canada, said.

“Moreover we are delighted that the ReMade project is providing an important opportunity to connect, reflect and heal.”

ReMade pocket bags made from Diavik shirts by the Native Women’s Association of the Northwest Territories of Canada.

Accessories made from Diavik’s rugged PPE have already won awards in the Northwest Territories – the 2025 MAX Awards for Excellence in Mining – Diavik and the Native Women’s Association of the Northwest Territories won the Environmental Responsibility Award for the ReMade project.

The first collection will become available as the prestige diamond mine heads towards closure.

ReMade Argyle PPE gown — At first glance, PPE might not seem like the stuff of fashion or fine craftsmanship – but ReMade is showing that it can be. A ballgown, made from PPE from the now-closed Argyle diamond mine, has become a way to attract attention to the possibilities of a second life for used PPE. Appearing at Mining Indaba 2026, it has also appeared in the Diavik cafeteria to kick off the launch of ReMade collection bins for used PPE.

Expanding ReMade to global locations

ReMade does not propose a one-size-fits-all solution.

Half a world away, ReMade is also getting started at Oyu Tolgoi, one of the world’s largest copper mines. While the scale at Oyu Tolgoi is far greater, some goals remain the same – reduce waste, engage employees and support local craftspeople.

However, ReMade’s Mongolian focus is on liaising closely with the herder communities and working together to save livestock. In the South Gobi, ReMade is reconfiguring textile PPE to protect newborn calves and juvenile animals from the extreme cold of Mongolia’s climate extremes.

“What ReMade aims to achieve by recycling used work wear from Oyu Tolgoi is to show it can go beyond saving PPE textile waste from landfill; it can help save herder livelihoods and the lives of animals threatened by Mongolia’s increasingly harsh winter climate," Andrew Lye, Chief Operating Officer of Oyu Tolgoi, said.

“I am excited to see this project progressing, engaging community members and teams to tackle textile waste which would otherwise go to landfill.”

As insights and data accumulate from both pilot sites, the next step is scaling responsibly in our global iron ore business.

To kick off that journey, ReMade tote bags made from PPE from our African sites will be gifts for stakeholders at Mining Indaba 2026.

A Simandou ReMade tote bag ready for Mining Indaba 2026

And accessories are just one step on ReMade’s journey towards reducing PPE waste as making accessories out of the large tonnage of textile waste is not the complete answer. In solving the challenge of reducing the impact of textile waste on the environment we’re continuing to work with the best scientific minds to find new and possibly unexpected solutions for the future.