There are a lot of examples of Sustainability in Fashion; this is some examples:
#1 In Portugal, a sustainable exhibition caught the attention of thousands of visitors and international fashion buyers: iTechStyle Green Circle – Sustainability Showcase. Pe de Chumbo presented a garment made of waste from garment production, such as scraps from the cutting process, yarns and fabric leftovers, and other resources not used in the industrial textile process. Repreve mixed organic cotton and naturally biodegradable Kapok fiber to make the company Inovafil (the Repreve polyester is obtained from recycled plastic bottles). The company Riopele Texteis presented a garment made with fabrics from the second generation of Tenowa: The rebirth of textiles.
#2 While the last Haute Couture Fashion Weeks was like a bubble full of luxury, excess of garment and handmade designs, the previous Autumn-Winter 2019 in Paris showed incredible fabrics made by recycling products. Dutch designer Ronald van der Kemp said 98% of his new collection was made using repurposed fabrics and materials, including overstock from past collections and factory waste. Viktor & Rolf created colorful patchwork dresses from vintage garments. Of course, one of the first ones was Karl Lagerfeld’s sustainable couture collection created for Chanel SS16 edition, with a group made from jute, hemp, cork, fused paper and cotton. Even the beading, sequins and jewelry were created from raffia, wood, and straw.
Viktor & Rolf Autumn-Winter 2019
Credit: FRANCOIS GUILLOT Getty Images
Ronald van der Kemp Autumn-Winter 19
Credit: Francois Guillot Getty Images
#3 Diesel and Coca-Cola have teamed up to launch a limited edition of clothing made from recycled materials and baptized as “The (Re) Collection”. This collection incorporates recycled PET from recycled plastic or cotton bottles to “create a fresh and modern interpretation of the casual aesthetics of Diesel combined with Coca-Cola’s iconic style.
#4 Orange Fibre is the first sustainable textile produced from citrus by-products. Based in Italy, a country renowned for its native citrus varieties, this company has interceded in an otherwise total waste of 700 000 tonnes of citrus by-products. It turns this waste into luxurious, elegant textiles.
#5 Natural Fibre Welding is another company paving the way for sustainable textile innovation. Their use of plant fibers to create leather and denim textiles is astounding in quality and function. The brand promotes its vision for circularity that includes closed-loop dying of fabrics to reduce water waste, textiles free of petroleum-based micro-plastics, and extracting source materials without the constraints of growth time.
#6 Last but not least SeaCell, a fiber solution from SmartFiberAG, is an incredible innovation born from the algae deposits in the Icelandic fjords. Using sustainable technological methods, mineral & vitamin-rich algae is merged with cellulose fiber to create a textile full of anti-microbial properties interacting with the wearer’s skin. This interaction is an example of “living fabrics”.
#7 The Swedish outdoor brand Röjk is committed to being 100% natural and biodegradable by 2020, replacing the traditional petroleum-derived materials used for warm clothes with “self-grown” biopolymer fabrics.
#8 The North Face has partnered with wool producer The Bare Ranch, which captures more carbon dioxide than it produces, while producers such as Vreseis are raising or cultivating natural-colored materials such as “colorganic” wool and cotton. Also, in a partnership with Christopher Raeburn, The North Face made bags from old tents.
Although synthetic fillers do not involve animal abuse, they may take several decades to decompose – unlike feathers.
#9 PrimoLoft Bio has solved the problem by adding microorganisms to eat the material to create fillers that can degrade much faster. Similarly, Singtex’s new STORMFLEECETM fabric does not require lamination, which reduces the loss of fibers that end up in the ocean.
#10 Friday By JW Pei is a brand that is dedicated to creating elegant products that don’t compromise on style, sustainability or ethics. Their bags are made of vegan leather and use high-quality canvas, polyurethane and certified fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles to make their handbags. Edun is a label that is dedicated to creating high-end fashion while encouraging trade in Africa and sustainable sourcing materials. This means that the designs chic and fashion-forward, but many of the materials used are unique; examples include faux leather made from pineapple fibers and a vegan tote created from barkcloth, an ancient craft of the Baganda people who live in southern Uganda.
Around 80 percent of the materials of each Alienina’s collections are production waste, washable and non-toxic. The techniques used are inspired by old traditional crafts, which the designer then reimagines in a contemporary, modern way.
Ethical and sustainable handbag brand Mashu is known for its elegant top-handled, leather-look bags, all carefully crafted from recycled polyester and plastic.
Also, Prada launches sustainable nylon bags. As part of the Re-Nylon project, a new line of Prada bag silhouettes will be made from a regenerated nylon material known as ECONYL, according to a press release from the company.
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
A lot of sustainability competitions around the globe prove that the recycling is more than a trend. The Redress Design Award (formerly the EcoChic Design Award) is the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition.
“Reverb is committed to making sustainable fashion go mainstream. Working with Maddie, we want to give consumers more access to desirable sustainable fashion, particularly in Asia, where waste is a huge issue that needs to be addressed immediately.” – Tillmann Lauterbach, Competition Judge, Creative Director, Reverb of JNBY Group.
