Fabrics to look out for!

With a global waste management crisis on our hands, the rise of sustainable fashion is not surprising.

Sustainable fashion, however, is a broad term and includes brands that: Reduce the use of toxic chemicals, water, or energy, Use organic or environment-friendly fabrics, Indulge in ethical and fair-trade practices, Reduce the generation of waste, Extend the product life cycle of a garment by renting or swapping it; to name a few. While all these steps are integral to creating a more sustainable industry, in this article I am going to explore the various available materials.

When one thinks of environment-friendly materials we think of natural fibers: cotton, wool, silk, linen, etc. While each of these fabrics is biodegradable there are two other problems. Firstly, they cannot be used for all kinds of clothing. Organic natural fibers are not chemically treated thus may not be as strong as synthetic materials. These materials are also not as elastic as their synthetic counterparts, and in today's industry elasticity is a requirement for most designs. Secondly, natural fabrics are not completely harmless. While they don't amount to unbiodegradable waste, producing them requires huge amounts of water, toxic chemicals, a high amount of energy, and leads to substantial emissions of greenhouse gases. Production may lead to unfair treatment of animals as well.

This leads me to a great alternative- semi-synthetic lab-grown fabrics or "supernatural fabrics". These fabrics are expensive and uncommon, but they combine the best of natural and synthetic materials. They have great elasticity and durability allowing one to experiment with designs, and at the same time, they are made of bio-degradable materials. Having said that, not all semi-synthetic fabrics are eco-friendly as these may also contain plastics (recycled polyester) and may require excessive amounts of water or toxic chemicals. This article focuses on upcoming eco-friendly semi-synthetic fabrics.

Lyocell: Lyocell is one of the most common sustainable materials in the world and in India. Indian slow fashion brands like Doodlage and Mulmul have also been using this material. "TENCEL", a branded lyocell fiber, is the most common and credible kind, however, there are other options available. These fibers are strong, breathable, and gentle. Lyocell is made from wood cellulose which is made from the pulp of eucalyptus, birch, or oak trees. However, the biggest determinant of lyocell being sustainable is the manufacturer.

Lyocell

While the fabric is bio-degradable the manufacturer must use a closed-loop system to minimize the water loss and the chemicals released into the environment. Lyocell can be combined with other fabrics but 100% lyocell is the most sustainable option. Brands like H&M and Salvatore Ferragamo have started using Tencel fabric, but only to a limited extent.

Pinatex: Pinatex, pineapple leather is patented by the company that manufactures it-Ananas Anam. The fabric is made of fiber from pineapple leaves, utilizing food waste efficiently. The dyes used by the company are GOTS-certified making them less toxic as compared to other chemical dyes. The brand is very ethical, not only does it eliminate the need of making leather from animal hides but also provides employment in rural areas of the Philippines. However, the material is coated with resin and uses Polylactic acid which means it is not 100% biodegradable yet.

Pinatex

Even though plastics are involved in the manufacturing process Polylactic acid is a bioplastic as it is made from corn starch or sugarcane, making it a comparatively better polymer. Additionally, Pinatex is cheaper than animal leather as 80% of it is made from pineapple fiber, which is essentially waste. Brands like Hugo Boss, H&M, and Paul Smith as well as Indian brands like Studio Beej have already begun sourcing Pinatex for their products. Meghalaya is one of the major pineapple-producing states in India. It contributes 8% of the total pineapple produced in India and is also looking into manufacturing pineapple leather.

S.Cafe: S.Cafe is a material where the yarn is made from coffee grounds and recycled polyester usually from plastic bottles. It is produced by a Taiwanese textile company using their patented method. This is another material that essentially converts waste into clothes. The fabric is multifunctional as it can be used for various apparel, sportswear, and home furnishings. It offers excellent natural anti-door qualities, in addition to UV ray protection and quick drying time. It has been used by brands like North Face and Puma.

S.Cafe

The company uses various methods to reduce carbon emissions, excessive use of water, and use of toxic chemicals. The fabric contains polyester making it non-biodegradable; however, the material has scope to use biodegradable materials eventually.

Kombucha Leather: It is a flexible biomaterial that's made from a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, commonly known as SCOBY Leather. Kombucha is a type of black tea made by fermentation and the SCOBY grows on this liquid. The culture of bacteria is grown on tea, sugar, water, and yeast and doesn't require additional chemicals.

Kombucha Leather

The production is cheap and quick as it takes approximately 14 days. The material requires very little water, energy, and toxic chemicals due to the lack of processing. It is made of organic raw materials and is 100% biodegradable. The material is versatile and is used to make wallets, shoes, clothes, etc. Unfortunately, this material is not as durable as animal leather, but it is still a major step in the right direction. The material is not readily available and has been incorporated by only a few select designers.

QMILCH/QMILK: QMILCH is essentially milk fiber, produced by a German company known as QMILCH GMBH. The production process involves using dehydrated milk, as used in milk powder, to extract proteins that are dissolved in chemicals to eventually become fiber. It is a silk-like, lightweight material that is flame retardant, blocks UV rays, and can be dyed easily. QMILCH GMBH is not the only producer of the fabric and for it to be a completely eco-friendly fabric, it is important to assess the production process of the brand.

QMILCH

QMILCH GMBH uses natural resources, primarily waste to produce the fabric, and is 100% biodegradable. They also minimize the use of water and energy. This is a very beneficial process considering the amount of milk that is wasted. The company also produces cosmetics, clothes, etc. using the material.

Woocoa: Woocoa is a sustainable and vegan wool. Traditional wool can harm animals and leads to methane emissions and contamination of water, all of which can be avoided by using Woocoa. Woocoa is made from hemp (a class of Cannabis plant, usually grown to obtain fiber) and coconut fibers and is treated with enzymes from the oyster mushroom.

Woocoa

The hemp is either obtained from medical marijuana waste or directly from Columbian farmers, increasing their rate of employment. The fiber is durable, elastic, hygroscopic, antimicrobial, thermal, easy to dye, soft, and 100% biodegradable.

Parblex: Parblex is a bioplastic produced by Chip[s] Board®. The company uses potato waste produced by the company McCain. The company uses a fermentation process to create the bioplastic and is researching various food waste like dairy products to find feedstock for microbial fermentation to produce bioplastic precursors.

Parblex

The products made from Parblex are reusable and 100% biodegradable. The process is circular as the material offset in the production process is reintroduced in the next production cycle. It has been used by Cubitts London to make eyewear, Isabel Fletcher to make buttons, and Chip[s] Board to make home furnishing.

Orange Fiber: Orange Fiber is a brand that produces fiber from leftover citrus juice by extracting cellulose. It is created with a patented process and is 100% biodegradable. Orange Fiber also collaborated with Lenzing Group to create TENCEL from orange fiber eliminating the need for cellulose from wood. The company has created

Orange Fiber

several fabrics from fiber including lace silk, satin, and viscose-like material. It can be easily dyed, is soft, and retains nutrients and essential oils that can be absorbed by the body until a few washes. Orange Fiber has collaborated with brands like Salvatore Ferragamo and H&M.

These are just some of the innovations in sustainable fashion and I look forward to seeing them replace synthetic materials in mass production.