Pine Needle Pants? Cactus Coat? Discover the Innovative Textiles That Could Forever Change How We Dress

Moscall-Varey’s textile innovation has a wide variety of environmental implications—including its biodegradability—and it couldn’t come at a more crucial time. According to a recent report published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there were 53 million tonnes of fibre produced for clothing in 2015 and the equivalent of one garbage truck full of finished products either ended up in a landfill or was incinerated per second. The report addresses two key issues that continue to confound the fashion industry: How can creatives and businesses tackle more responsible creation of new materials to design with? And how can these materials be disposed of in a way that won’t further damage the planet?

Unsurprisingly, many are looking to nature for “ingredient” inspiration—that’s the term that has been adopted to describe what goes into the yarn and other components used in the fabrics our wardrobes are full of. From promoting the concept of a more circular manufacturing system to highlighting other potential eco benefits, answers to the question “How can we do better?” lie all around us. And now you can find them in places like Mexico, Scandinavia and right here in Canada.

Montreal’s Aldo Group is one of the first fashion footwear and accessories companies in the world to be certifiably climate neutral. A key component of this designation has been via the work of people like Karine Kicak, the company’s senior sustainability manager. Kicak spearheaded Call It Spring’s use of Bloom algae foam in its shoes, including this season’s chunky ’90s-inspired runners and sleek chambray mules. “Algae just naturally has the same properties as certain plastics that are used in foam or in a footwear outsole,” says Kicak, who is a chemical engineer as well as an expert in life-cycle assessment.

Unlike a material such as recycled plastic, “algae grows naturally in plants and lakes,” she notes. “That’s what makes it a great ingredient: Contrary to most that are used in textiles, it really doesn’t need much to grow—just sunlight. It doesn’t need labour, it doesn’t need land and it doesn’t need pesticides.”

It’s important to understand that when it comes to better ingredients for textile creation, there are factors beyond how they are cultivated and the purpose for harvesting them; in the case of algae, removing it from where it grows actually makes the environment better after the fact. But how something is processed into its final stage is also something to consider. Kicak points out that Bloom’s technique for taking algae from nature to store shelves involves drying it using only the sun—instead of electrical heaters or chemical means—before turning it into the tiny granules that go into Call It Spring’s soles.

Many other eco-minded movements in the fashion industry are in the draft stage. Earlier this year, Finland’s Marimekko—known for its colourful print work on everything from clothing to home decor—announced its partnership with fellow Finnish company Spinnova to create a set of samples made from a post-consumer biodegradable wood-based textile. “This was a very meaningful union because it was early on for us,” says Emmi Berlin, Spinnova’s head of communications.

“Marimekko was really our first brand partner to advise us on what the fibre should be like and how we should even go about trying to create the first prototypes of it.” Saara Azbel, Marimekko’s sustainability manager, notes that the timing was right for the brand as well. “We have been working on developing more sustainable cotton, and we want to play a more active part in developing new sustainable materials,” she says.

Marimekko and Spinnova—and many other brands from the Scandinavian region—have become pioneers in the championing of earth-conscious design. Bonnie Hvillum, a material researcher, founded the Copenhagen-based Natural Material Studio after years of working as a systemic consultant. “I have a master’s in design but started doing systemic work as a way of approaching sustainability and regenerative futures,” she says. “I did a lot of consultancy for companies. Then I went on maternity leave with my second child, and I was missing that feeling of making a change in the world every day with my own hands. When you consult, you can try and influence people and advise, but you don’t really have that power to make the actual change.”

Hvillum began to develop a material made from pine needles—something Denmark has in abundance due to the country’s role in Christmas tree agriculture. “Fifty million trees are grown and cut down in Europe every year,” she says. Hvillum decided to look into possible applications for the seasonal refuse. “It’s a really strong fibre and contains natural oils; it has a lot of additives in it already,” she notes of the needles’ appealing qualities.