Not to say there weren’t innovators pushing forward fashion’s potential. From sustainability breakthroughs, though, you may join us for a look back at the year in fabric innovation.
PrimaLoft Bio, is the first 100-percent recycled, biodegradable synthetic fiber for fabric use.
Vollebak’s jacket coated with Nobel Prize-winning graphene: Weighing just over 13 ounces, the Graphene Jacket is waterproof, breathable, and durable.
ECOALF’s Shao, a sneaker made from ocean plastic and algae: ECOALF is the first Spanish fashion brand to be designated B Corp in recognition of its commit-ment to the planet.
Haglöfs’ Eco Proof, one of the world’s most sustainable jackets: As its name implies, the Eco Proof jacket by Swedish brand Haglöfs is designed entirely with sustainability in mind. The jacket is made of recycled material, coated with PFC-free durable water repellent, designed for end-of-life repair, produced in bluesign-approved factories, and most impressively of all, features a waterproof membrane designed for efficient recycling.
MIT introduces “soft hardware,” the first fabric with integrated semiconductors: In August, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) introduced the world’s first fabric with integrated semiconductors. Referred to as “soft hardware,” the fabric is woven from waterproof fibers housing LEDs and photo-sensors capable of processing signals sent through light.
Polartec Power Air, a step to solving clothing’s fiber-shedding problem: In November, it unveiled Power Air, a multilayer continuous yarn fabric that encapsulates lofted fibers entirely within the material’s structure. In short: Power Air provides the warmth of a technical layer but sheds five times fewer microfibers than a comparable mid-weight fleece.
