Fashion ranks among the highest contributors to Earth’s pollution, with its production accounting for 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions. A pivotal point we must acknowledge is that our elegance and creativity as designers or brand owners should not come at the expense of our environment. Eighty-five percent of all textiles end up in landfills, and even during washing, microscopic plastic particles are shed, rapidly killing ocean life.
The word sustainability tends to take on vast dimensions and engages countless pieces of the puzzle. When someone mentions the term “sustainability” nowadays, numerous issues automatically come to the table. In the face of 2021, broader conditions are evolving so rapidly that almost everyone is now aware, informed, and expresses their views and primarily their concerns on the pressing matter. The future is fueled by hope, and the fashion industry is discovering new innovative methods with the help of science.
Every time I learn about a new sustainable material, I feel like a child discovering new worlds. Immediately, I want to share it and take every fellow traveler with me. Growing up in the era of the new normal, nothing seems dull. You have a responsibility to change every given, and that alone drives you to be more productive.
Undoubtedly, the era of responsibilities and innovation has come. Everything we imagined to be distant is now closer than ever. The new normal knocks on our door, and we must step out of our safety “boxes” and evolve. Evolution is not only the development of technology, science, and socio-political reality. Evolution begins from within us, from our minds, and from our willingness to see beyond the horizons we learned to discern.
The 7 new sustainable materials are the passport to the new normal. Let’s get to know them:
- Mylo
Raw material: Mushrooms
Source: Stella McCartney official site
The new Mylo creations by Stella McCartney.
Stella McCartney once again made a difference with her new collection. Sustainability, especially ethical fashion, is an ongoing concern for the designer, who has been fighting hard to address it for decades. Thus, she never ceases to amaze us with her uniquely sustainable creations and boundless imagination:
“I believe that the house’s community should never compromise luxury and design for sustainability, and Mylo makes it a reality.”
she says
Mylo represents the ultimate charm of leather with sustainable transformation. Made from mycelium – the intricate network of underground fibers – Mylo is soft, elastic, and less harmful to the environment. For billions of years, mycelium has grown beneath our feet, serving as an ecological connective tissue. An extensive, infinitely renewable, interconnected web passes through the soil, plants, and along the riverbeds to break down organic matter and provide nutrients to plants and trees. Mushrooms are the fruit of mycelium. Just as branches and vines cultivate apples or grapes, so does mycelium cultivate mushrooms.
The performance of Mylo vegan alternative leather is remarkably impressive.
On a mission to harness the promise of advanced material science, a visionary team of scientists and engineers at Bolt Threads has developed cutting-edge technology for cultivating and transforming mycelium into a high-quality sustainable alternative solution.
The mycelium used to produce Mylo is cultivated from rotting leaves, air, and water in just a few weeks, compared to the years it takes to raise cattle. It consumes significantly less land and emits fewer greenhouse gases than animal farming. It is certified organic, meaning it is primarily made from renewable sources found in nature. Utilizing the principles of Green Chemistry, Mylo is created through a highly efficient process designed rigorously to reduce environmental impacts from start to finish. Brands that have sought a place in its heart include Stella McCartney, Adidas, Kering, and Lululemon.
2. Beleaf (beLEAF™) + Alocasia Macrorrhiza
Raw material: Tree leaves
Sheets made from “Alocasia Macrorrhiza” ready for use.
The cultivation of leaves integrates and advances the philosophy of reusing organic waste. Beleaf is essentially a technology applied to the plant “Vertical Elephant Ear” or “Alocasia Macrorrhiza,” a tropical plant found on forest and river banks. It grows freely and is not commonly cultivated.
The choice of this particular plant came after extensive research. The combination of beauty, availability, soil, and leaf area index (ranging from 2 to 5 square meters), as outlined in the article, was a primary criterion for the final decision. The Elephant Ear produces leaves all year round. They are so impressive that they can reach heights of up to 10 feet when fully open. The term “vertical” comes from the fact that the leaves point towards the sky.
Today, the company Nova Kaeru, the main inventor, planted thousands of seedlings among the rows of reforestation sites in Maoni, on the banks of the native tree replanting area (Mata Atlântica), as well as on the banks of watercourses. In Europe, it is distributed by the company Italhide. Designer Amélie Pichard is a pioneer in using BeLEAF™ technology to create unique vegan and sustainable creations.
Left: Vegan bag by Amélie Pichard, Right: Leaf from the “Vertical Elephant Ear” plant.
The appearance of the beLEAF™ technology on the Alocasia Macrorrhiza plant creates a stunning result that rivals any leather creation.
The most optimistic message, however, is that the Beleaf technology can be applied to any other plant as long as it is adapted to the specific characteristics of each species. It is a completely organic process, without the use of heavy metals, with 100% complete reuse/reintegration of solid waste and processed water into the environment. Finally, the water used in the leaf “tanning” process, after treatment to balance the pH, is pumped back to the fields surrounding the factory for reuse in fertilizing and irrigating plants. Thus, due to organic processes, solid residues are 100% reused.
3. Vitigna
First material: Grapes
The vegan ‘Greta’ sneakers, the new creation by Mirco Scoccia.
Creative director Mirco Scoccia from O2 Monde experimented with various sustainable materials for his latest collection, targeting his conscious consumer base. One of these materials is Freska fabric, made from a blend of corn and cereals, and Vinatex, which uses pineapple as its raw material. Today, however, the designer discovers another, more unusual material called Vitigna, which has the appearance of “leather” and originates from grape skins!
Made exclusively from wine industry waste, it is environmentally friendly, entirely vegan, and sourced directly from the famous vineyards of Tuscany.
The designer’s statement makes him particularly endearing, approaching his sensitive audience:
“I am committed to creating luxurious, sustainable shoes in a vegan and clean way. To achieve my goal, I have conducted extensive research and have reached out to hundreds of suppliers, even from different categories (including furniture and automobiles for wood). I wanted to use plant-based materials and also collaborate with traditional Italian manufacturers. For me, it’s not just about making beautiful shoes for vegetarians but also ensuring that the entire supply chain will adhere to certain higher standards regarding environmentally sustainable practices.”
The new collection ranges from $268 to $398, and many pieces are named after different women with a significant impact on environmental activism and broader nature protection, such as the canvas shoes Greta, inspired by Greta Thunberg.
Finally, the sustainable footwear brand has donated a significant portion of its earnings to “One Percent for the Planet” to offset its environmental impacts.
4. Dessserto (cactus leather)
First material: Cactus
The individuals pictured on the left are Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez, the founders of Desserto.
Desserto is the first extremely sustainable plant-based leather, made from the Nopal cactus, also known as prickly pear. Founded by Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez from Mexico, desperately seeking to create an alternative solution to replace animal leather, they quit their jobs and dedicated two whole years to finding a new sustainable material based on cactus.
The environmentally friendly material can be produced in many different colors, thicknesses, and textures, while being easily recognizable as it is soft to the touch and partially biodegradable, unlike genuine leather. It’s worth noting that the only reason animal leather has a longer lifespan than all other raw materials is the heavy use of chemicals such as formaldehyde and chromium, which are classified as some of the most carcinogenic substances for humans. On the other hand, Desserto not only contributes to the facilitation of fashion development but also to its wider use, such as in furniture construction and the automotive industry.
The red tuna is one of the most striking shades of Desserto.
Cacti have a strong molecular bond that can lead to a more elastic, flexible, and durable fabric. They grow abundantly in Mexico and do not require much water or irrigation systems as they survive solely on rainwater. Specifically, the Nopal cactus is particularly resilient as it can survive in very low temperatures without dying. Moreover, it absorbs carbon dioxide during the night and does not require replanting for up to 8 years. After harvesting the mature leaves, they are dried under the sun for 3 days until the correct moisture levels are achieved. Thus, there is no additional energy – unlike animal hides – for the drying process. The management of the entire farm is completely organic without harming the biodiversity around the area, there is no use of pesticides or herbicides, and all waste is exported or sold to the food industry.
Almost 72 billion animals are slaughtered every year, and 70% of all unused hides end up in landfills. Cow leather has three times the negative impact on the environment than its synthetics, such as polyurethane and PVC. Leather tanning requires a lot of water and the use of toxic chemicals. These toxic chemicals are released into the Earth’s water systems. It is important, therefore, to consider the implications of your actions before purchasing or using them for your brand’s next creation. There are now alternative solutions, and desserto is certainly one of them.
5. Αether
While diamonds may indeed be a woman’s best friend, the majority of them tend not to be so friendly to the environment. The main culprit is specifically diamond mining, which not only tends to exploit adults and children in poverty – thereby touching on the ethical aspect – but also primarily causes environmental devastation to the land and water, and in extreme cases leads to the collapse of entire ecosystems.
Fortunately, the last decade has presented the world with a growing range of lab-grown diamonds, offering a conflict-free alternative that exhibits the same natural, chemical, and optical characteristics as traditional diamonds.
Aether diamonds are made from excess carbon in the atmosphere. This means that these diamonds are not only sustainable but actually contribute to environmental improvement. The process involves direct air capture technology that pulls carbon dioxide and other compounds from the atmosphere, where the carbon dioxide is collected in a specialized filter that isolates the carbon. It is then converted into usable raw material for diamond growth in reactors. We have, therefore, an entirely new and innovative system that ultimately redefines all the existing norms, overturning the traditional rules of the industry. Marketing head Robert Hagemann states:
“Our diamonds are not just carbon-neutral; they are carbon-negative – in fact, we remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere with every diamond we create. If we as a species have spent centuries polluting and destroying our planet, it will take much more than being neutral to reverse this impact.”
The world’s first carbon-negative diamond is now a reality.
At this point, it is essential to emphasize the significance of carbon-negative. Why?
Carbon-neutral essentially refers to the action where the amount of CO₂ emissions you release into the atmosphere equals the amount of CO₂ emissions you remove from the atmosphere. Your impact is neutral, zero. Putting it indefinitely, perhaps you are not actively making it worse, or you are not worsening the conditions, but you certainly are not making them better. It’s a good strategy, but not entirely sufficient. However, as a first step, it’s a very good start.
By adopting carbon-negative action, you take the next step. You are carbon-negative when the amount of CO₂ emissions you remove from the atmosphere is greater than the amount of CO₂ emissions you emit into the atmosphere. Your impact is positive, meaning you are actively doing something to improve the climate. It is now urgent to clean up the atmosphere, and every strategy must be taken with absolute responsibility and accountability.
6. Recycled fibers
The company Paradis Perdus is one of the pioneering luxury brands using 100% recycled fibers.
The specific process is particularly complex and requires not only unwavering imagination but also inexhaustible creativity. By using fibers from recycled materials, more and more brands are dedicating their future to creating collections from recycled fibers created after specialized mechanical processing of waste.
One of these brands is Paradis Perdus, which manufactures 100% recycled knits. The fibers are created from discarded sweaters that are separated, color-filtered, and converted into new fibers. The more restrictions there are, the more opportunities there are for the company. Co-founder Thomas Poli optimistically states:
“While I was offered about 2,000-2,500 different threads at the fabric exhibition in Italy, today I can only choose from 10-12 different threads. So we have to be creative in different ways! We use different threads, stitches, jacquard, and intarsia to bring imagination with the fibers we have available.”
The next challenge for the brand is to create buttons from used eyeglass frames and to experiment with zipper construction methods.
7. Rose sylk
Raw Material: Rose
An ensemble made from 100% rose silk, bearing the signature of designer Hillary Taymour.
Hillary Taymour, the designer behind the brand Collina Strada, creates clothing from 100% rose sylk, an innovative fiber made from natural waste of rose petals, leaves, and stems. Collina Strada’s dresses are essentially made from a viscose-like material, with the distinction that it originates from rose petals and entirely natural dyes. This particular raw material is essentially a new cellulose fiber from roses, boasting a uniquely beautiful, silk-like texture and a radiant appearance. It’s an environmentally friendly and primarily biodegradable fabric.
Taymour is determined to continue working with sustainable materials and helping the planet:
“It’s worth noting that all brands need to up their game in sustainability practices; it’s the only thing we can do.”
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