Innovative Materials in Fashion: Three Fabrics to Watch

Innovative materials in fashion are becoming increasingly important as the industry responds to criticism over pollution, resource use and garment waste. Sustainability is now a central focus, and new-generation fabrics could play a critical role in reducing fashion’s environmental impact. We previously explored this subject in our article,“Fabric Innovation: The future of fashion”. But why is it important to shift our focus towards these new materials? But why is it important to shift our focus to these new fabrics? There are several reasons why innovative materials in fashion deserve greater attention:

• Reduce environmental impact: Innovative materials can be created from recycled, renewable or biodegradable sources. This could minimise waste and pollution while supporting a more circular economy.
• Increase efficiency: Traditional materials such as cotton and polyester can require substantial amounts of water, energy and chemicals. Alternatives that use fewer resources could reduce production costs and carbon emissions.
• Stimulate creativity: New materials can inspire designers to develop distinctive products that combine innovation with environmental responsibility.

The development of innovative materials in fashion could help address environmental damage, improve resource efficiency and encourage creativity. We recently discovered three materials with the potential to contribute to a more circular fashion economy. Prioritising sustainability can create a more ethical and responsible fashion industry for future generations and for the planet too.

We’ve recently come across three innovative materials that have all the potential to set a new standard for a circular fashion economy.

BioPuff

In a project based near Salford in north-west England, bulrush is being used to create an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional jacket linings. Saltyco, a startup, has developed a new plant-based material called BioPuff from reedmace, which has a similar structure to feathers and offers warmth, lightness, and water resistance. The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester, and North Merseyside has partnered with a local farmer and landowner to test paludiculture, which means farming on rewetted peat, on a 12-acre site to boost the availability of bulrushes.

The project has received a £400,000 grant from the UK government. If successful, the material could significantly reduce the environmental footprint of traditional stuffing and allow lowland peat farmers to earn an extra source of income while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The first rushes are expected to be harvested from the UK site in 2026, with the potential to increase biodiversity and save up to 2,800 tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2050. BioPuff has already gained recognition in the fashion industry, winning the H&M foundation Global Change Award last year and has been used in a small collection by the Italian label YOOX. The startup is currently in talks with more fashion houses to promote the use of this eco-friendly material. BioPuff demonstrates how innovative materials in fashion can support both lower-impact production and the restoration of damaged landscapes.

Synthesised silk

Traditional silk production, which involves boiling silkworm cocoons, has long been criticised for its cruelty to animals. However, lab-grown silk is an ethically appealing option that requires less energy to produce than industrial silk. One such fabric, Microsilk, is crafted through precision fermentation, a process that involves genetically modified yeast cells, sugar, and water to create a protein that can be extracted, spun, and woven into a textile. It shares physical properties with real silk, including being lightweight, smooth, and biodegradable and has gained recognition in the industry since its development by Bolt Threads. The company received a $700m evaluation from 2016 to 2019, collaborated with Stella McCartney to create two dresses, and released its own branded tie and beanie.

However, the fermentation process is sensitive to changes in temperature and pH levels, which makes it challenging to produce on a large scale. Furthermore, concerns about the materials used to produce the silk remain, as sugar is the primary ingredient for these fabrics, and in an ideal world, the inputs required to brew the protein would not come from industrial agricultural systems that pose a threat to biodiversity.

Another promising material is Brewed Protein, produced by the Japanese company Spiber Inc. This material is also created through precision fermentation and can be used to make a variety of textures, such as fleece, denim, and fur. The company combines synthesised DNA with a feedstock of sugar and corn. Although they have released a limited run of products with The North Face and Junya Watanabe, the company is still building its first large-scale plant in Thailand as they still aim to move towards circular inputs and improve the way their corn and sugar are farmed. Currently, Pangaia is already selling a hoodie made of 12% Brewed Protein and 88% cotton as part of their innovation line. Check it out here! These examples show the promise of innovative materials in fashion, but also the challenges of scalability, agricultural inputs and commercial production.

Lab-grown leather

As opposed to the numerous vegan leather alternatives currently in the market, scientists are currently developing authentic leather in the laboratory with cells of animal origin. The results of this research are expected to share the same properties as genuine leather, which is a combination of fat, protein, breathability, and flexibility that has been difficult to replicate through plants or plastic.

Various companies, including Modern Meadow and VitroLabs, are working on this technology. VitroLabs, for example, obtains a small biopsy from a live cow and combines the harvested cells with nutrients to grow leather sheets that go through a simple tanning process. These nutrients consist of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. While VitroLabs' manufacturing facility has been active for a year and is actively seeking corporate partnerships, there are no items on the market yet. This is because a commercially feasible product may take some time to develop, as lab-grown meat has taken along time to become available. 

At present, there is not enough evidence to make definitive claims about the sustainability of lab-grown leather compared with conventional leather. Transparent data and full lifecycle analysis will be essential, regardless of the production method. However, lab-grown leather remains one of the most intriguing innovative materials in fashion and could eventually provide an animal-derived alternative with fewer ethical concerns.

Which of these innovative materials in fashion would you most like to see used by designers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Info sourced on theguardian.com

Images sourced on canva.com