The Future of Fashion: Innovations in Sustainable Textiles
Returning to the past and buying reclaimed or deadstock fabrics is a great way of making your closet more sustainable - but what lies in the future? The sustainable textile industry is fast-growing, creative, and could revolutionise fashion. This list highlights just a few of the latest and greatest in the field, so keep an eye out!
Vegan Leather - Pineapple, Mushroom, and More!
Leather alternatives have been popular in the fashion industry for decades, as they are often cheaper than the real thing. Due to its negative environmental impacts, including deforestation for cattle ranching, water & air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, many alternatives have been created in recent decades. However, much of the faux leather on the market is made from petroleum, which contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. It is important to distinguish between these leather alternatives and eco-friendly vegan leathers that commit to sustainability.
Some of the top guilt free, earth-safe leathers available today include:
Piñatex leather: Made from sustainably sourced natural fibres from the pineapple tree and completely cruelty free, this vegan leather was developed by Dr Carmen Hijosa, a Spanish fashion designer and entrepreneur.
Mycelium leather: Mycelium is the vegetative root-like structure of a fungus, and can be grown into interwoven sheets of lightweight, versatile biomaterial.
Mirum leather: A plastic-free alternative made from natural rubber, plant oils and waxes, natural pigments, and minerals. It is one of the most durable sustainable leathers, and is fossil fuel and water free.
Silk Alternatives From Your Fruit Bowl!
Silk is one of the most timeless fabrics, revered for its luxurious feel, delicate texture and lustrous appearance. Traditionally spun from silkworm cocoons, it is natural, biodegradable and long lasting. however, it is an energy-intensive process that uses a lot of water and can create chemical pollution. Additionally, the silk industry has been criticized for exploitative later practices, including child labors.
While rayon is the most common alternative, its production involves chemical processes that can lead to environmental issues like deforestation and water pollution. Here are a few truly eco-friendly options, made from natural materials:
Banana Silk: A naturally shiny textile made from the stems or stalks of banana plants. It is durable and biodegradable, unlike the synthetic silk alternatives that take decades to degrade.
Orange Fiber: Produced from citrus juice by-products, this fabric is created by extracting cellulose and converting it into a silk-like fabric that is lightweight and eco-friendly. It has been used by several famous brands, including the Italian brand Salvatore Ferragamo and H&M.
Fur - The Sustainable Version of the Fashion Industry’s Darling
The fur coat: an iconic symbol of Hollywood glamour and high fashion. One of the most universally loved fabrics of fashion history, fur jackets and clothes have been a staple of both men’s and women’s fashion since they first emerged in the 1920s. But in recent years, the unsustainable nature of animal fur has been exposed, leading to bans in many countries. The fur industry is one of the most inhumane sectors in fashion, with millions of animals slaughtered annually. It’s also a significant source of carbon dioxide, ammonia and phosphorus emissions, leading to global warming and eutrophication (a process which can create aquatic ‘dead zones’ that kill marine life).
Sustainable faux fur alternatives are on the rise, here are a couple of ethical trailblazers:
Unreal Fur: This Melbourne-based brand manufactures faux fur like no other, creating some of the first sustainable faux fur fibres made from recycled water bottles and hemp fibers. The brand was founded in 2011 and is committed to designing with all vegan materials, and also carries vegan leather and vegan wool.
Apparis: PETA-approved, this brand sources their faux fur from vegan textile manufacturers in France that follow industry standards. They place an emphasis on sourcing recycled synthetics whenever possible, and understand the ‘many environmental tradeoffs of fossil-fuel and bio-based synthetic fibres’ (apparis.com). Overall, although this brand still uses synthetic materials, they are one of the best and most transparent on the market in terms of recognising ethical and sustainability issues in the fashion industry.
FLWRDWN - Flowers Over Feathers
A good down jacket is one of the best investments you can make - but so much of the market is either bird feather down, which carries ethical concerns and animal cruelty, or synthetic plastic down, which is made from petroleum and can release microplastics when washed.
FLWRDWN and FLWRFILL are the only alternative on the market that uses flowers as an alternative. FLWRDWN is made of dried wildflowers and a biopolymer that is infused with aerogel; it is both breathable and hypoallergenic. The sourcing process relies on a system of regenerative agriculture that contributes to habitat restoration, butterfly conservation and the reduction of greenhouse gases.
Apart from FLWRDWN, choosing jackets made of recycled materialsis another great option for warmth and sustainability.
Ethical, Plant-Based cashmere?!
Cashmere production has long been linked to overgrazing by cashmere goats and unsustainable farming practices, not to mention the animal welfare issues involved.
The increasing demand for cashmere, fueled by the trend cycle of fast fashion, leads to lower prices and exploitative practices. Luckily, there are sustainable alternatives:
Vegetable Cashmere: KD New York created vegetable cashmere as a plant-based alternative to traditional cashmeres. It is made from the soybean plant, looks and feels like fine cashmere and even has health benefits for the skin! Each piece is expertly knit as well as being machine washable and stronger than traditional cashmere.
Khullu/yak Wool: While not identical to cashmere, yak wool, it is similarly soft and comfy to wear. Yak wool is stronger than cashmere, making it machine washable, and the yak is considered one of the most sustainable wool-producing animals in the world. This is because it is a gentle grazing animal, and so does not damage the pastures and grasslands like cashmere goats do, and yield a much higher quantity of fibre each year.
Of course, these are all amazing innovations in the field of biotextiles - but they may not be accessible or affordable to everyone. If you’re looking to make more sustainable choices, buying second-hand is a great first step that anyone can do. Wherever and however you buy your clothes, the most important thing is to always think - about your environmental impact, the impacts of animal cruelty and exploitative practices, and the steadily rising amount of waste that comes out of the textile industry every year.
All photos sourced from pinterest