Fashion is turning to pineapples and algae for environmentally-conscious solutions

Designer Roma Narsinghani’s jewels are studded with beads — emerald greens, ruby reds, and pearly whites. What makes them distinctive is that they’re crafted from algae, an innovation by the U.S.-based materials researcher Aradhita Parasrampuria. “Their eco-friendly nature and organic appeal have made them a core part of our approach and provide a unique texture to our designs, mimicking precious stones,” says the Delhi-based Narsinghani.

Roma Narsinghani

For many years, the style trade’s trajectory has been marked by its over-reliance on synthetics and scarce or virgin pure sources. Global plastic manufacturing reportedly stood at over 450 million tonnes in 2023, of which trend is mentioned to eat 1 / 4 or extra. And various studies counsel the trade is accountable for up to 10% of the world’s greenhouse emissions.

While pure fibres comparable to cotton, wool, or linen are broadly thought to be alternate options, local weather change is disrupting their manufacturing now. Moreover, these conventional staples can’t ship the low-carbon future that trend wants. So, a variety of proprietary alternate options are positioning themselves as environmentally-conscious solutions.

A bag made with Cellsense’s algae beads

Fashion’s increasing materials base

Material innovators are more and more bio supplies to create new fibres. In April 2024, London-based materials science firm Fibe introduced a textile fibre constructed from potato stems and leaves, whereas North Carolina-based startup Keel Labs has developed Kelsun, a fibre utilizing biopolymer present in seaweed. There are alternate options for sequins and fur in growth, too.

Bananatex is a plastic-free material constructed from Abacá banana fibre. Originally developed by Swiss bag model Qwstion for its personal merchandise — in collaboration with a yarn specialist and a weaving accomplice in Taiwan — it is utilized by luxurious labels comparable to Balenciaga and Stella McCartney. “We are constantly working on new developments, weights, constructions, finishes and ways of dyeing,” says Hannes Schoenegger, co-founder and CEO of Bananatex. Last 12 months, Qwstion developed a light-weight jersey utilizing the fibre. “We [also] invest quite some energy into knits, and there is going to be a Bananatex denim we will present later this year.”

Hannes Schoenegger

Balenciaga x Bananatex

Last November, environmental non-profit Canopy arrange an India outpost, selling next-gen fibres from agricultural roughage, waste textiles, microbial cellulose and meals waste in textiles, in addition to paper packaging. “Agricultural residue such as straw, or industrial food waste [like] tomato pulp or coconut water, discarded textiles — all these are currently treated as waste,” says founder and government director Nicole Rycroft. “We are completing a trial with large brands and a Scandinavian technology innovator to use Indian straw and turn it into a man-made cellulosic alternative.”

Nicole Rycroft

Answers to leather-based

As widespread as leather-based stays in trend’s product repertoire, the animal-derived materials is infamous for its excessive carbon footprint — spanning deforestation and lack of biodiversity, chemical- and water-intensive processes, and insufficient waste administration. While manufacturers and firms are shifting to extra acutely aware processes, leather-based stays contentious.

Recently, nonetheless, leather-based alternate options have obtained nice consideration with success tales comparable to Mirum, a cloth crafted from pure rubber by U.S.-based Natural Fiber Welding, which has 50-plus collaborators, together with BMW, Pangaia, Allbirds, and Anita Dongre.

Other examples embrace MycoWorks, which produces the mycelium-based Reishi; Desserto, crafted from cactus; and Piñatex, derived from pineapple. “The success of alternatives is determined by how well materials can replicate the look and finish of leather,” says Arundhati Kumar, a sustainability marketing consultant.

Arundhati Kumar

A hat from MycoWorks, which produces the mycelium-based Reishi

Banofi is an alt-leather crafted from banana crop waste. “Currently, it is best suited for fashion accessories,” says founder Jinali Mody, including that they’re doing “further R&D to make a broad range of applications in footwear, automotives, interiors, and more”.

Not all bio-materials mimic leather-based, although they get categorised within the phase. Take, for occasion, Malai, a coconut water-derived bacterial cellulose, produced by a Kochi-based firm of the identical title and launched again in 2018. Zuzana Gombosova, materials scientist and co-founder, says, “We have been seeing demand for materials that would be more reminiscent [with the touch and feel] of animal leather.” The model, which gained the Circular Design Challenge in 2020, works on catering to market demand, however its social media typically clarifies: Malai isn’t leather-based “and that’s okay”.

Zuzana Gombosov

The Indian panorama

“India is extraordinarily well-positioned to be an early global leader, as a low-carbon material production hub,” says Rycroft of Canopy. The nation’s development curve on each retail and manufacturing makes it a promising enterprise ecosystem. But, for the time being, lack of collaboration with mass retailers and larger manufacturers is limiting development alternatives, particularly for native makers.

“I’d expect big companies looking into sustainability to give space and visibility to brands like ours,” says Gombosova. “While we can’t produce on a mass scale, we can make limited editions.” Malai produces 200 sq. mt. of fabric per thirty days. She provides that lengthy intervals of R&D could be opposite to investor expectations of ROI (returns on funding), which makes monetary investments difficult to safe.

A bag from Malai 

Mody highlights the way it will also be tough to educate folks about the truth that “our material is made from plant-based ingredients” and assembled utilizing a clear, sustainable course of. Additionally, “balancing 100% sustainability with cost-effectiveness is challenging”. Costs for such supplies are larger, with base costs at round ₹2,000 or extra; as compared, synthetics begin at just a few hundred rupees.

A bag from Piñatex, derived from pineapple

Solving the scalability problem

The problem isn’t restricted to India although; materials innovators in every single place have to address larger costs, time-consuming R&D, and greenwashing. Many plant-based supplies additionally use synthetics to guarantee sturdiness and efficiency. Schoenegger considers such issues intrinsic to a transitional interval. “The material world cannot change entirely in a few years, it will take some time.”

Sneakers from Mirum, a cloth crafted from pure rubber

The massive purpose for various supplies is to transfer past the levels of prototype and small-scale manufacturing. Players comparable to Natural Fiber Welding, which produces a variety of plastic-free supplies apart from Mirum, have managed to crack this code — a community of world companions, a 110,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, and working with current provide chain and tools units in regional areas. If different supplies can replicate such success, this purpose could seem a lot nearer.

The author and editor is based mostly in Delhi.