Read the full story at Fashion Dive.
Fashion’s favorite materials have a steep environmental cost.
Polyester leisurewear is stretchy and comfortable, but its threads are spun from petroleum, shed environmentally-harmful microplastics when washed and barely biodegrade, losing just 1% of mass after 660 days in a landfill, according to a 2021 study in the journal SN Applied Sciences. The ubiquitous cotton T-shirt requires 6,000 liters of water to be produced, according to the World Wildlife Fund, which is the equivalent to what a person drinks in 900 days. Using up this scarce resource also contributes to soil erosion, according to a 2020 United Nations report.
Leather production relies on raising livestock, an industry that was responsible for cutting down 45.1 million hectares of forest between 2001 and 2015, according to the World Resources Institute.
In an attempt to turn the tide, researchers, companies, and brands are dreaming up technological solutions: innovative fabrics that imitate the characteristics of fashion’s traditional raw materials, but without the environmental damage.
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