How Textile Advancements are Offering a Promising Future in the Fashion Industry
January provided us sustainable consumers with an exciting month when it comes to textiles, as recent news is offering us a hopeful future for sustainable fashion. Textiles play an important part in the clothing production process, as items that are not sustainably made often end up in landfill and are made of fabric that does not decompose, therefore harming the environment through greenhouse gases and water contamination. However, one of the most recent announcements is that a collection is being launched by Asahi Kasei’s Ecosensor, a Textrends award-winner. The goal of the collection is to protect nature, body, and mind, through a blend of high-performance and technology. A range of materials have been developed that have been made from certified ingredients and have a transparent production process and supply chain.
Labels such as Bluesign and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 have certified the dyeing and finishing techniques in the collection and most of the yarns are certified Global Recycled Standard-certified (GRS). 36 fabrics are used to create outerwear, sportswear, and innerwear offering a range of items for consumers to purchase that can be suitable for various settings. Products also featire a recycled stretch yarn called Roica EF by Asahi Kasei that is created from consumer waste. As well as this, a high-tech yarn named Bemberg is used that is produced from the transformation of cotton linters. The Iluna Group, who works closely with Kasei, specialises in material research and high-tech developments to make these collections possible and has in fact introduced new yarns at Premiere Vision Paris that will allow the A/W 22/23 season to concentrate on responsibility. The new yarn, which is in the GRS category, has a new design and a unique performance, offering more options for designers to work with.
Such advancements so early in the year means that there is hope for upcoming collections, particularly as the new products are being created with the intention of being finished by the A/W collections this year. The sooner collections and new fabrics are launched, the quicker brands can gain understanding of their sustainable options – potentially influencing a wide range of brands to use them.
Although, this new collection isn’t the only exciting news for the industry as performance textile manufacturer Ventile which first developed in 1943 has reported record sales for last year due to consumers demonstrating an increased interest for sustainable fashion and textiles. The company reported a record year as sales for the eco range, including Ventile Organic and Ventile Recycled, range up to 230% in 2021 compared to 2020. Ventile’s eco range makes up 51% of total sales, and 5 of the products from this collection are in the company’s top selling lines. Ventile L24 Organic accounts for 22% of all metres sold by the company, which is one of the core fabrics and is a 100% cotton fabric made from sustainable grown organic global organic textile standard (GOTS) certified cotton. With a mix of brands starting to produce ethically considered garments and consumer interest to shop sustainably, Ventile have been able to launch five new fabrics over the span of 12 months due to the growth last year.
“Last year proved a pivotal year for the success of Ventile. Not only are we able to announce record sales for Ventile as a whole, but we are also pleased to say that it was also a bumper year for sales of our Eco range too. As a brand founded on its sustainable credentials and true advocates of the slow fashion movement, we are beyond thrilled to be able to see that consumers, as well as brands across the globe, are recognising the importance of this practice in the textile industry.” – Daniel Odermatt, Ventile Marketing Manager.
With such an increase in 2021 from 2020, perhaps we will see an even bigger growth in consumer desire to be conscious of their clothing this year. As 2022 brings in new year resolutions, perhaps those goals may be to change their shopping habits and lead to more success for Ventile as well as many other companies.
What do you think the year holds for the desire for sustainable textiles? Do you think companies will be inspired by the recent advancements and incorporate them into their products?
SD x
(Information sourced by: fashionunited.uk)
Featured image sourced by: Myriams-Fotos, pixabay
Image 1 sourced by: Belinda Cave, Pixabay
Image 2 sourced by: John Anvik, Unsplash
Image 3 sourced by: Susan Wilkinson, Unsplash