Next gen materials news and archive

Stella McCartney takes on 'barbaric' feather industry

British fashion designer Stella McCartney is showcasing plant-based alternatives to real feathers in her latest collection, as the animal-rights campaigner takes on the "barbaric" farming of birds for clothing. "I've been having the conversation about not killing cows and goats and snakes or any living animal to be made into a shoe or handbag in...

Vans partners with Ernest to create first-ever skatable cardboard sneake

Footwear and apparel brand Vans has partnered with Ernest Packaging Solutions to create the unthinkable - the first-ever skatable sneaker made from cardboard. Developed as part of Ernest’s Cardboard Chaos series, the sneaker pays homage to Vans’ skate culture roots, innovative drive, and authentic expression. Vans sneakers have been favored by...

Gen Phoenix secures 15 million US dollars in investment

British next-gen material supplier Gen Phoenix, which offers sustainable recycled leather fibre material manufacturing at scale, has secured 15 million US dollars in a funding round led by venture capital firm Material Impact and increased investment from Tapestry, the fashion group behind Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman. In a statement,...

Decathlon partners with Rheon Labs on next-gen sports apparel

Global sporting goods retailer Decathlon has announced a global partnership with British materials technology company Rheon Labs to bring advanced material science to apparel for “everyday sport”. The collaboration will allow Decathlon access to Rheon Labs’ technology platform, including current and future innovations in strain-rate sensitive...

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Mango partners with Circulose to increase textile circularity

Spanish fast-fashion retailer Mango is the first brand to partner with Swedish circular material company Circulose since its restart, as the retailer aims to integrate the next-gen material into its production chain. The partnership underscores a milestone in Mango’s commitment to working more sustainably and sits in line with its long-term...

Sheep Inc. launches world's first swim shorts made from 100% natural materials

London-based knitwear brand Sheep Inc. has launched the industry’s first-ever swim shorts to be made entirely from natural materials, the Merino Swim Shorts. Made from 100 percent ZQ-certified Reda Active Merino wool, the swimming shorts are lined with a biodegradable mesh and are completely free from plastics and microplastics, according to a...

Arda Biomaterials secures 5.25 million US dollars to commercialise technology

Arda Biomaterials, which transforms brewery and whisky waste into novel materials, such as leather-like materials, for fashion and retail use, has raised 5.25 million US dollars to commercialise its technology leveraging plant proteins. The British-based chemistry technology company closed an oversubscribed 5.25 million US dollars (4.05 million...

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Lululemon invests in scaling bio-based nylon with ZymoChem

Canadian athletic apparel company Lululemon has entered into a multi-year collaboration with California-based biotechnology firm ZymoChem to expand its use of sustainable bio-based nylon in its products. Lululemon said it would work with ZymoChem to sustainably transform a key building block of nylon 6,6, a foundational material used in many of...

Puma and Re&Up to collaborate on scaling circularity

Sports company Puma has announced a multi-year partnership with circulartech company Re&Up Recycling Technologies to scale a fully circular textile solution, where it transforms textile waste into RE&UP’s next-gen recycled cotton fibres and recycled polyester chips. In a statement, Puma said the move was aligned with its Vision 2030...

Fashion for Good & BCG: Demand for next-gen materials could outpace supply by 2030

“Materials lie at the heart of the fashion industry. They form the foundation of every garment, shaping the design, feel and functionality of the product. They also define the brand’s narrative and its appeal to consumers,” starts a new report published today and created by global sustainability initiative Fashion for Good together with the...