Raw Materials
The fashion supply chain starts with the sourcing and extraction of raw materials. A significant portion of a material’s environmental footprint is determined by how its unprocessed inputs are cultivated, extracted and processed into yarns, making it a crucial area for innovation. New innovative alternatives, such as biomaterials and textile recycling solutions are already being implemented and scaled to replace standard materials.
Projects

Meet the Innovator: Ecovative

Fashion for Good's Newest Project with BESTSELLER, Inditex, and Reformation Prototypes Kintra Fibers' Biobased Polyester

The vegan leather made from India’s waste flowers
Materials like 100% biodegradable Fleather from Phool, which was part of Fashion For Good’s innovation programme in 2020, stand out as a unique category.

BESTSELLER Collaborates With Biophilica In Fashion for Good Pilot To Test The Compostable Leather Alternative Treekind®

New Cotton Project Launches Exhibit at the Fashion for Good Museum

BioMaterials: resource of sustainable fashion
With an average growth between 15% and 20%, the circular fashion industry could reach 75 billion dollars in 2025. As a result, the EU funded the AllThing.BioPRO project to help consumers make more informed choices in bioeconomy.[ITALIAN ARTICLE]

Meet the Innovators Turning CO2 into Textiles
Chicago-based LanzaTech made headlines last year by working with Zara and Lululemon to make garments from captured steel mill emissions. Now Rubi Laboratories from San Francisco, recently raised US$4.5 million in a successful seed funding round to develop its method of producing cellulose from CO2.

Bags and Shoes Made From Mushrooms: The Future?
Mycelium-fabrics with muschroom, offer an alternative for leather, hoping to make big fashion brands such as Stella McCartney and Adidas more sustainable. The production takes place in a nursery in the Gelderse Hedel. [DUTCH ARTICLE]
Innovators

Virent
Virent uses its patented BioForming® technology to create the fuels and chemicals the world needs from a wide range of naturally occurring, renewable resources. Its patented catalytic chemistry converts biobased carbohydrate feedstocks into products molecularly identical to those made from petroleum. Virent’s technology can produce a range of fuel products, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, as well as chemicals used for plastics, fibres and films. (US)

ZymoChem
ZymoChem offers bio-based materials powered by proprietary carbon conserving (C2) microbes that convert renewable feedstocks into high-value materials while radically minimising CO2 loss during the production phase. The efficiencies of their platform unlock superior economics – up to 50% lower cost than incumbents with a higher yield compared to today’s best in class biomanufacturing. (US)

Polybion
Polybion is growing premium, next-generation materials designed with nature and manufactured with biology. Their first product, Celium™, is a premium alternative to animal-based leather and petroleum-derived synthetics. It is grown by feeding bacteria with agroindustrial fruit waste; the bacteria, in turn, creates cellulose, a natural polymer. (Spain)

Saltyco
Saltyco connects the regeneration of damaged wetlands to the production of healthier materials for the fashion industry. Their next-generation textile BioPuff ®, is a warm, lightweight and biodegradable insulation material made from one of the best plants for wetland regeneration. (UK)

Bananatex
Bananatex creates fabrics made from 100% banana fibre. They cultivate plants of the banana tree family known locally as “”Banana Hemp” or “Abacá” in the Philippines, before processing them into a material offering a viable alternative to synthetic fabric. The fabric is coated with a natural beeswax for a water-resistant finish and can be easily composted. Founded in 2008, (Switzerland)

Hemptex India Private Limited
HempTex India is agro-based enterprise which assists farmers in cultivating hemp by providing optimum seeds, best practices and and by training, educating and empowering local farmers, elevates the socio-economic conditions. Founded in 2021 (India).

Modern Synthesis
Modern Synthesis has developed a high performance petrochemical and latex free bacterial cellulose based composite to replace conventional Polyurethane and conventional leather. Their patent-pending ‘microbial weaving’ process employs bacteria to a cellulose-based composite material that is naturally biodegradable or closed-loop recyclable, with reduced emissions compared to PU leather. Founded in 2019 (UK).

Rubi Laboratories
Rubi turns industrial CO2 emissions into drop-in cellulose pulp for MMC alternatives utilising a cell free, enzyme based direct biochemical process. Through mimicking the process of trees, Rubi’s technology can achieve cradle-to-gate carbon-negativity and produce output for use in existing textile mills. Founded in 2020 (US).
Latest

How Can Companies Recycle Clothes Back Into Clothes?
Polyester is in almost all of your clothing, and it’s almost impossible to recycle. Some innovators are looking beyond turning plastic bottles into fabric.

Meet the Innovator: Infinited Fiber Company

The Fashion Charter is on track to miss its key goal. What now?
In a recent report, the UN Fashion Charter said there’s still a long way to go to meet its net-zero emissions goal, and signatories are dropping. It’s raised questions about impact and accountability.

Dress made of orange peel at the GROW exhibition in Budapest
The GROW pop-up exhibition of the Fashion for Good Museum is open in Hungary until 25 March. The interactive exhibition showcases clothes and accessories made from sustainable bio-materials such as banana fibre, orange and coconut shells, and is located at the Budapest Metropolitan University. [HUNGARIAN ARTICLE]