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From Gucci and Hermes to Adidas and H&M; Forward-thinking labels are revolutionizing the industry with their interesting and unique sustainable materials.
Sustainability
10 September, 2024
Table of contents
Globally, consumers are more likely to favor purchasing products with sustainable labels. In response to the shift in the market, luxury and fashion brands are emphasizing sustainability across product materials.
Adidas also uses Mylo as a vegan alternative to traditional leather. It also innovates materials and technologies to produce products such as the DryDye technology, which is used to dye polyester fabrics using compressed CO2 to avoid the usage of water, and the Futurecraft Biofabric shoe, which was woven from the synthetic spider silk. It also used NuCycl while creating the Infinite Hoodie with Stella McCartney in 2019. The brand also had intentions to use ocean plastics to produce products by 2024 in collaboration with Parley for the Oceans.
Allbirds is one of the first recipients to use Mirum, a no-plastic plant and minerals-based alternative for leather, to produce its products. Mirum was created by Natural Fiber Welding which can be recycled for endless times. It recycles plastic bottles to use in the laces, uses castor bean oil to increase the natural parts in insoles, and Bio-Tpu, created from microorganisms that eat sugars from plants, for eyelets.
Columbia Sportswear has launched the OutDry Extreme Eco line, containing the technical rain shell and down jackets available only in white due to its dye-free nature which saves more than 49 liters of water per jacket. The shell material is produced from 21 recycled plastic bottles and the trims were also from recycled materials.
Gucci has been using the newly created Demetra material for a range of accessories such as bags. It is the leather alternative for the brand with plant-based resources. The label looped Billie Eilish in to promote its Demetra category. The brand also used Mylo, a leather created from mycelium, as an alternative for the leather. It also planned to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% before 2025. Its owner, Kering Group, also invests in VitroLabs to invent lab-grown leather that replicates the look and feel of traditional leather.
H&M uses Piñatex, Circulose and Vegea. Piñatex is created from pineapple waste as an alternative to leather. It comprises PLA, bio-powered plastic, and finished with PU coating. This material is also used by Hugo Boss. Circulose is made from thrown-away clothes by Renewcell. H&M is the first brand to launch a product made from this material in 2020. This was also a part of Levi's iconic 501s in 2022. Vegea is an invention from grape waste in the wine industry that won the H&M Foundation Global Change Award in 2017. It contains 45% PU and has been used by Calvin Klein and Ganni too. The brand also launched products made from Yulex.
Hermes had used Reishi from MycoWorks made by using mycelium sheets. The sheets were grown with engineered cells and nourished through agricultural waste. Then, they are treated with no-chromium tanning. This material secured $125 million in funding in January 2022.
Kane Footwear launched its Revive slip-on shoe collection which was made from BounceBack foam, produced from Brazilian sugarcane. This sugarcane-based material also has been used in many companies. Icicle from China has produced sugarcane shoes and an Indian-based startup Reroute used the carbon-negative materials of sugarcane waste and plastic bottles to create shoes.
Lululemon has forged a partnership with LanzaTech for the polyester yarn made by converting CO2 emission to ethanol for the final product in 2021. It also uses Mylo as a leather alternative. The label has joined forces with a tech startup in Australia, named Samsara Eco, to launch the first enzymatically recycled nylon 6,6 product on a global level in 2024. Lululemon also collaborated with the eco-friendly material innovator Genomatica to incorporate bio-nylon in its products in 2021.
Mara Hoffman partnered with a recycling company Circ to launch a limited edition apparel, named “This Dress Changed Everything,” developed from the company’s recycled lyocell material. The dress is poppy-colored with deep V-neck and shoulder straps as well as hand-woven flowers at the center.
Nike is using AirCarbon from Newlight Technologies which is a carbon-negative material with an ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This leather alternative is produced by a similar process happening in nature: marine organisms that convert methane and CO2 into molecules that can melt down. This company started its collaboration with Nike in 2021. It has introduced a circular shoe in partnership with ISPA Link Axis. The shoe is made from recycled polyester Flyknit, and TPU such as scrap airbags. Its flyknit technology creates lightweight and high-performance footwear while decreasing material waste by 60%.
Pangaia has been utilizing a lot of sustainable materials for its goods. It collaborated with Kintra, which produced a bio-based material that will replace synthetic items such as nylon and polyester. It is derived from the sugar substance of wheat and corn. Pangaia also used Mirum produced by Natural Fiber Welding. It has an Aloe Line collection which is made from plant-based linen that went through aloe vera oil treatment, giving coolness, comfortable feel, and hypoallergenic properties.
Pyua has been developing a closed-loop recycling system that can recycle the shell, trims, and components. It chose a new insulating synthetic comfortemp fiber ball produced from 80% recycled materials and 20% binder components without any chemicals to create the Snug-Y 2.0 Men’s Hybrid Fleece Jacket which won the Gold ISPO 2018 Award.
Ralph Lauren has used Calrus technology from Natural Fiber Welding which turns natural fibers like hemp, wool, and cotton into a high-performance textile with the same properties of synthetic materials. The brand produced polo shirts with this material. Ralph Lauren is also one of the investors for Natural Fiber Welding’s Mirum.
Stella McCartney is known for its sustainable standards which involve using new sustainable materials for the products. Some of the materials used include Mylo and NuCycl8. The latter is made by *Evrnu** from post-cotton waste. NuCycl8 was used by the brand when it launched the *Infinite Hoodie in collaboration with Adidas in 2019. It also uses Yulex, a plant-based material made from natural rubber or limestone neoprene.
Tierra uses the same Deterra to produce its first-ever 100% bio-powered outdoor jacket. The outer shell of the jacket is created from Fulgar yarn’s EVO which consists of polyamide from castor bean oil. The brand is also exploring various aspects to come up with new sustainable material ideas.
Tory Burch incorporated Modern Meadow’s BioFabbrica Bio-Tex into its classic Ella tote bag. The *Ella Bio Tote8 came in multiple colorways and three sizes. The material is certified by USDA. It is produced by an exclusive Bio Alloy plant protein.
Zara partnered with LanzaTech for its polyester yarn. It is produced by converting CO2 emissions from steel mills to ethanol which, then, turns into yarn. Zara launched apparel made from this technology, with 20% of garments made from carbon emissions and the remaining with PTA, in 2022.
Reebok collaborated with South Korean brand Kanghyuk to create a footwear collection, showcasing the silhouette of recycled Classic Leather and Club C LTD. The upper shell is made from recycled airbags. Brands such as Finisterre, Patagonia, Decathlon, and Timberland are the proud users of Yulex. S.H.N Industrie Design has introduced a show mimicking the upper made from silk cocoons using a Japanese technique called Mawatagake which dissolves the sericin that holds the silk fibers together, making the silk fibers spread away and become a filling material. This will reduce the usage of silk cocoons. Nolan Junhee Kim from the US made 3D-based rippled containers made from waste wood with micro-level precise cuts.
Cover image: Gucci Introduces Demetra, courtesy Lifestyle Asia.