Innovative Materials
Knowing what products are made of is key to sustainability. Eco-friendly materials are on the rise, giving us hope for a better future. Keeping up with all the new components can be difficult. That's why we've created a guide, so you can navigate the endless sustainable possibilities like an expert.
Organic cotton is an eco-friendly material, cultivated without pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilisers nor GMO.
Its production sustains the health of soil, ecosystems and its people by using natural processes rather than artificial inputs.
It has less impact on the air, uses on average 88% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton.
Linen comes from the flax plant, which is grown primarily in temperate regions. It is an extremely strong fibre and highly absorbent.
Linen is grown using rainwater rather than irrigation. Organic linen comes from flax that is farmed without any use of toxic chemicals, and is therefore a more sustainable option.
AppleSkin™ is the name of a bio-based leather alternative. It is an innovative new material made with waste recovered from the fruit juice industry. Made in Italy from apples grown in Bolzano. The material is vegan and cruelty-free.
The process is mostly based on recovering fruit waste, that would otherwise be discarded, and transforming it into the final material.
Bamboo is a sustainable material with a very fast growth rate. It does not require replanting: when harvested, it will grow a new shoot as a result of its extensive root system.
No chemical pesticides or fertilisers are required for bamboo to grow and it also sequesters carbon dioxide from the environment and produces 35% more oxygen than equivalent-sized trees.
TENCEL™ branded lyocell and modal fibers are produced by environmentally responsible processes from the sustainably sourced natural raw material wood. They are are compostable and biodegradable, thus can fully revert back to nature. Featuring botanic origin and biodegradable quality, TENCEL™ can enhance the breathability of fabrics, that are gentle on skin with long-lasting softness and color vibrancy.
The pioneering REFIBRA™ technology is made from upcycled cotton scraps from garment production: the technology gives a second life to pre and post consumer sources, which would otherwise be sent to landfills or incinerated.
The cotton scraps are transformed into cotton pulp. A substantial proportion of this is added to wood pulp, and the combined raw material is transformed to produce new virgin TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers to make fabrics and garments.
The chrome-free tanning process includes the steps of the method of pre-tanning leather with plant or synthetic extracts. This method produces a leather product that has similar characteristics to chrome-tanned leather, such as flexural strength, but with less significant environmental impact.
Chromium-free leather means less pollution, cleaner waste streams and better biodegradability.
Natural rubber comes from responsibly grown plants, obtained by processing the latex of rubber trees in the Amazon.Today, it's mostly used in shoes, or certain handbags, and is valued for its ability to withstand impact. Natural rubber can have a beneficial impact if grown responsibly, and its sustainable cultivation, even on heavily degraded land, helps recreate ecosystems.
Fishing nets have become a huge problem for marine life. But with some smart innovations and technology, fashion can be the answer to saving marine life.
Recycled Nylon is considered a much more sustainable material, helping to offset oil use, emitting fewer greenhouse gases and conserving water and energy in the process.
The best known is ECONYL®, which uses synthetic waste to recycle and regenerate it into a new nylon yarn.
Recycled PET requires far fewer resources than virgin polyester. It also contributes to the circular economy of fashion.
A well-known fabric made from rPET is REPREVE®. The high-quality fibers are made from 100% recycled materials, including post-consumer plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste.
REPREVE® can also be blended with other materials to produce a high-tech fabric.
Recycled cotton can be generally defined as converting cotton fabric into cotton fiber that can be reused in textile products. Recycled cotton is also commonly referred to as regenerated cotton, reclaimed cotton, or shoddy. Recycled content includes recycled raw material, as well as used, reconditioned, and re-manufactured components.
Wool is a natural fiber that insulates, breathes and lasts a long time. Producing wool, however, is resource-intensive. Large amounts of land to graze the sheep, water to clean the fiber, chemicals to treat the wool, and dyes to color the finished product.
Recycled wool can be generated from post-consumer sources such as factory waste or returned clothing and reduce up to 83% of CO2equ. emissions compared to virgin wool while maintaining quality.
Organic cotton is an eco-friendly material, cultivated without pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilisers nor GMO.
Its production sustains the health of soil, ecosystems and its people by using natural processes rather than artificial inputs.
It has less impact on the air, uses on average 88% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton.
Linen comes from the flax plant, which is grown primarily in temperate regions. It is an extremely strong fibre and highly absorbent.
Linen is grown using rainwater rather than irrigation. Organic linen comes from flax that is farmed without any use of toxic chemicals, and is therefore a more sustainable option.
AppleSkin™ is the name of a bio-based leather alternative. It is an innovative new material made with waste recovered from the fruit juice industry. Made in Italy from apples grown in Bolzano. The material is vegan and cruelty-free.
The process is mostly based on recovering fruit waste, that would otherwise be discarded, and transforming it into the final material.
Bamboo is a sustainable material with a very fast growth rate. It does not require replanting: when harvested, it will grow a new shoot as a result of its extensive root system.
No chemical pesticides or fertilisers are required for bamboo to grow and it also sequesters carbon dioxide from the environment and produces 35% more oxygen than equivalent-sized trees.
TENCEL™ branded lyocell and modal fibers are produced by environmentally responsible processes from the sustainably sourced natural raw material wood. They are are compostable and biodegradable, thus can fully revert back to nature. Featuring botanic origin and biodegradable quality, TENCEL™ can enhance the breathability of fabrics, that are gentle on skin with long-lasting softness and color vibrancy.
The pioneering REFIBRA™ technology is made from upcycled cotton scraps from garment production: the technology gives a second life to pre and post consumer sources, which would otherwise be sent to landfills or incinerated.
The cotton scraps are transformed into cotton pulp. A substantial proportion of this is added to wood pulp, and the combined raw material is transformed to produce new virgin TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers to make fabrics and garments.
The chrome-free tanning process includes the steps of the method of pre-tanning leather with plant or synthetic extracts. This method produces a leather product that has similar characteristics to chrome-tanned leather, such as flexural strength, but with less significant environmental impact.
Chromium-free leather means less pollution, cleaner waste streams and better biodegradability.
Natural rubber comes from responsibly grown plants, obtained by processing the latex of rubber trees in the Amazon.Today, it's mostly used in shoes, or certain handbags, and is valued for its ability to withstand impact. Natural rubber can have a beneficial impact if grown responsibly, and its sustainable cultivation, even on heavily degraded land, helps recreate ecosystems.
Fishing nets have become a huge problem for marine life. But with some smart innovations and technology, fashion can be the answer to saving marine life.
Recycled Nylon is considered a much more sustainable material, helping to offset oil use, emitting fewer greenhouse gases and conserving water and energy in the process.
The best known is ECONYL®, which uses synthetic waste to recycle and regenerate it into a new nylon yarn.
Recycled PET requires far fewer resources than virgin polyester. It also contributes to the circular economy of fashion.
A well-known fabric made from rPET is REPREVE®. The high-quality fibers are made from 100% recycled materials, including post-consumer plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste.
REPREVE® can also be blended with other materials to produce a high-tech fabric.
Recycled cotton can be generally defined as converting cotton fabric into cotton fiber that can be reused in textile products. Recycled cotton is also commonly referred to as regenerated cotton, reclaimed cotton, or shoddy. Recycled content includes recycled raw material, as well as used, reconditioned, and re-manufactured components.
Wool is a natural fiber that insulates, breathes and lasts a long time. Producing wool, however, is resource-intensive. Large amounts of land to graze the sheep, water to clean the fiber, chemicals to treat the wool, and dyes to color the finished product.
Recycled wool can be generated from post-consumer sources such as factory waste or returned clothing and reduce up to 83% of CO2equ. emissions compared to virgin wool while maintaining quality.