Global Sustainable Fashion Weekly by Luxe.CO

July 22,2020

The 14 fashion and lifestyle brands and enterprise groups selected for review this week are PANGAIA, Napapijri, MSGM, Thermore, Diageo, Frugalpac, Unleashia, Mantero Seta, RRS, R Plus Japan, MYMO & M.HITI, Sateri, and C’s bag.

Launch of Sustainable Products

PANGAIA teamed up with artist, Daniel Arsham, to launch a biodegradable T-shirt

After the American fashion brand, PANGAIA, organized the National Honey Bee Day event in collaboration with Takashi Murakami, it teamed up with the American contemporary artist, Daniel Arsham, to launch a series of sustainable T-shirts made of lightweight seaweed fiber and organic cotton.

The seaweed fiber is lighter and thinner than cotton. It also absorbs water faster and is degradable. The clothes are treated with peppermint oil and can be worn directly next to the body without repeated washing. Besides, the center of the T-shirt is specially printed with a football pattern with contrasting light and dark colors to celebrate the completion of the Education City Stadium and prepare for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Napapijri's Circular collection of apparel has obtained the C2C certification

The Circular series of Napapijri, an Italian high-end casual-wear brand under the American shoe and apparel manufacturer, the VF Group, has obtained Cradle to Cradle certification, the globally-recognized standard for safer and more sustainable circular economy products.

Circular clothing is made of a single material component and is 100% recyclable. The padding and accessories of the clothing are made of nylon, and the fabric is made of ECONYL® recycled nylon, a high-performance nylon material recycled from discarded fishing nets and other waste.

MSGM has launched the Fantastic Green collection of recyclable clothing

Massimo Giorgetti, the creative director of Italian fashion brand, MSGM, has recently launched a sustainable and neutral clothing line called Fantastic Green. Its products include sportswear, gowns, shorts, etc., made of certified organic cotton and printed with chemical-free water-based biodegradable ink.

Besides, MSGM has stated that, starting next year, plastics will no longer be used in the brand's products and packaging, hangers and bags will be made of recycled materials, and clothing labels will be made of recycled polyester.

Thermore has launched a new Ecodown thermal insulation series

The Italian outdoor brand, Thermore, has recently launched an Ecodown fiber Light and Ecodown fiber 2.0 thermal insulation series. This series is mainly made of fiber extracted from recycled PET plastic bottles, which will greatly reduce the landfill of plastic waste, reflect the spirit of environmental friendliness and ensure that the products are durable, warm and high-performance.

Among them, Ecodown fiber Light is lighter, more comfortable, and fluffy to the touch, and retains the easy care of chemical fiber products. The fiber does not easily agglomerate after cleaning, and the insulation effect is 20% better than that of the same type of product. Ecodown fiber 2.0 is soft and durable. It can meet the need for different sizes and retains more warm air with the same thickness to achieve better warmth retention.

Sustainable Packaging

Diageo has announced the successful development of paper wine bottles

The British wine group, Diageo, has announced that it has successfully developed a paper bottle, which will be used for Johnnie Walker as one of the practical ways to implement sustainable development. According to reports, the raw material of the paper wine bottles is pulp that meets food safety standards, does not contain plastic, and is expected to achieve 100% recycling.

Diageo fulfills its commitment to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change. At the same time, its newly-built Bulleit whiskey distillery in Kentucky will become one of the largest zero-emission distillers in North America. It is reported that the plant will use 100% renewable electricity to power a 72,000 square foot (approximately 6,689 square meters) distillery, drying room, and warehouse, which can produce up to 10 million gallons of whiskey each year.

Frugalpac has launched the "Frugal Bottle" paper wine bottles

The British sustainable packaging company, Frugalpac, has recently launched a paper 750ml wine bottle called the "Frugal Bottle" made of recyclable cardboard. The inner wall of the bottle is made of recyclable food-grade plastic to hold wine or spirits.

The cost of the Frugal Bottle is equivalent to that of a glass wine bottle. The unique feature is that the weight of the bottle is only 83 grams, which is one-fifth of the weight of a glass wine bottle, which makes it easier to carry and entails lower transportation costs. The production of paper bottles also reduces the carbon footprint and they are more recognizable.

Unleashia has launched “Pretty easy” recycled paper stick eye shadow pens

The Korean health and beauty brand, Unleashia, has launched its new “Pretty easy” series of eye shadow pens. The outer packaging is made of recycled paper and contains no binders, which conforms to the concept of low-carbon sustainability. Now, the price of a single pen is 13,000 won (about 75 yuan).

Sustainable Materials

Mantero Seta has launched a Resilk project of recycled silk fabric

The Italian textile group, Mantero Seta, has recently announced the launch of a Resilk project of recycled silk fabrics. Resilk is a traceable fabric and craftsmanship, made in Italy with GRS (Global Recycling Standard) certification.

The Resilk series of products are developed in cooperation with the Ecotec project of the Italian yarn company, Marchi & Fildi. The production steps are exquisite and complex. They include selecting the raw materials from pure silk fabrics, re-spinning and dyeing them, weaving them with different weights and weaves, decorating them with digital printing or screen-printing techniques to renew the fabric, and finally transforming them into clothing or accessories.

Research Report

RRS has released a report entitled Textile Recovery in the US

Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) has released a report entitled "Textile Recovery in the US: A Roadmap to Circularity".

The main focus of this report is the current situation of textile waste in the United States. It starts by outlining the textile reuse and recycling industry in the United States in an attempt to address the need for cooperation between stakeholders in the textile industry, and then explores the likelihood of a future system to maintain the most effective use of textiles throughout the value chain.

Sustainable Strategy

12 Japanese companies have participated in the establishment of R Plus Japan, a company that recycles plastic

Suntory MONOZUKURI Expert, a subsidiary of the Suntory Group, proposed an initiative to jointly establish R Plus Japan, which is a company that recycles plastic, and 12 groups have participated in the establishment.

R Plus Japan will use waste packaging plastics as raw materials, adopt a chemical mixing treatment method that does not require classification, and is expected to officially start production in 2027. The company will focus on plastic chemical recycling technology and another core technology from Anellotech, an American sustainable technology start-up company. Suntory and Anellotech have jointly developed the core ingredients to produce 100% plant-based PET bottles.

Note: Other member companies include Dai Nippon Printing Co, Iwatani Corporation, Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Toppan Printing Co, Hokkaican Co, J&T Recycling Corporation, Rengo Co., Fuji Seal International Inc., Yoshino Kogyosho Co.

Chinese Brands in Action

MYMO & M.HITI has launched 2021 spring and summer sustainable collection

The brands, MYMO and M.HITI of MYMOMENT, have launched a 2021 spring and summer series of clothing that conforms to the eco-environmental, low-carbon and sustainable concept, using natural fabrics such as flax, mulberry silk, and ecological viscose fiber. The series abandons traditional fabric materials, such as wool, in favor of environmentally-friendly and efficient closed production technology, giving the fabric a lasting and comfortable touch.

Viscose fiber producer, Sateri, has signed the Fashion Industry Charter

Sateri, a Chinese viscose manufacturer, has recently signed the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, becoming China’s first regenerated cellulose producer to support this global fashion agenda.

The "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" (UNFCCC) initiated this action to call on the fashion industry to support the goals set by the "Paris Agreement" to achieve an average global temperature within 2℃ of the pre-industrial period within this century. The total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be reduced by 30% by 2030, including the supply chain.

Besides, Sateri was recently invited to attend the Sustainable Product Innovations at the ISPO Munich forum to specifically discuss how to improve product strategies and achieve sustainable development.

Eco-friendly bag design brand, C’s bag, has launched an environmental charity exhibition

C’s bag, a Chinese eco-friendly bag design brand, recently launched an environmental charity exhibition entitled "Plastic Bottle: I'm Amazing", with the aim of creating a mobile museum with bags as the carrier through design innovation. C’ s bag focuses on protecting the environment and helping to reduce plastic pollution. One C’s bag can be made from four recycled PET plastic bottles. This is a brand that advocates sustainable consumption and works to achieve sustainable development goals by limiting the use of disposable plastic bags, plastic recycling and reproduction, and reducing the consumption of natural resources.

2020 intertextile SHENZHEN apparel fabrics

The recent 2020 Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics held by the RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAIN ASSOCIATION consisted of a display of young Chinese designers' recycled clothing works, a display of textile light green technology achievements, and a sustainable development-themed event.