Fashion
To achieve a more sustainable future, the fashion industry needs to overhaul its current practices. Here, we document that progress by covering everything from sustainable textiles to inclusive clothing lines to innovative materials.
Allbirds launches clothing line made from discarded marine shells
Allbirds launched its sustainable shoes made from ethical wool farmed in New Zealand back in 2016. Years later, the brand made headlines in The Optimist Daily for donating sneakers to healthcare workers during the pandemic. Now, the company is launching a new sustainable clothing line made from the Read More...
Why this startup makes shoes from plants rather than recycled plastic
While more running shoes made from recycled plastic bottles are hitting the market, a Dutch startup believes there’s a much greener way to produce shoes: starting with plants. According to Richard Rusling, cofounder of Zen Running Club, the problem with using recycled plastic in shoes is that Read More...
These alternative leather brands are sustainable and stylish
Top fashion brands like Stella McCartney and Adidas are introducing products made from fungus leather in 2021, but fungus isn’t the only alternative leather option out there. Today we share six prominent up and coming leathers sourced from plants, food waste, and food byproduct. The first Read More...
Levi’s is launching a marketplace for your old jeans
Have an old pair of Levi’s jeans lying around? It could fetch you up to $25 if you bring it back to one of the brand’s US stores. In an attempt to embrace the circular economy, Levi has launched a new program in which the company buys old Levi’s jeans, cleans them, and sells them in a new Read More...
Fabscrap is repurposing New York's textile waste into usable materials
New York City is one of the fashion capitals of the world, but what does the industry do with all its waste at the end of each season? After seeing the true magnitude of fabric scraps and swatches going to waste in the city, Bureau of Recycling and Sustainability employee Jessica Schreiber decided Read More...
Have fancy clothes you never wear? Rent it out on this platform!
Whether it’s a dress you once wore as a bridesmaid or a suit you never got the chance to wear because you work from home, most have us have articles of clothing in our wardrobes that never see the light of day. That’s what inspired New York-based entrepreneur Adarsh Alphons to launch a new Read More...
This eucalyptus-based hoodie can be composted in your garden
Just over a year ago, we wrote about Vollebak, a Dutch clothing startup making T-shirts that you can bury in your backyard once you’re through with them. That’s because the shirts are made entirely out of wood pulp and algae, which breaks down in soil and becomes “worm food” within months. Read More...
Seafood shells and coffee grounds make up this versatile leather alternative
Vietnamese designer Uyen Tran has developed a flexible bio-material called Tômtex, a leather alternative made from food waste, that can be embossed with a variety of patterns to replicate animal leathers. The name tôm, meaning shrimp, references the discarded seafood shells that are mixed Read More...
These scientists are turning algae into biodegradable flip flops
Flip-flops may seem innocent, but the problem is that this type of footwear is so popular and affordable that it winds up making a significant portion of discarded plastics polluting oceans and seas. That’s not good, especially since they’re typically made with petroleum-based plastics that Read More...
Levi’s announces collection of jeans made from hemp
Now that it is legal to cultivate hemp across the US, clothing brands are increasingly considering turning to this much-beloved material, that’s often touted not only for its strength but also for being more sustainable than cotton, requiring less water and land space. Now, those looking for a Read More...