Materials of tomorrow
Welcome to info lab,
dedicated to new innovations within fabric development ! Here, I will be sharing the latest advancements in sustainable fabrics, new technologies in textile production, and exciting new materials that are changing the way we think about fashion. Stay tuned for updates on the latest trends and developments in the world of fabric innovation.”
AppleSkin
Frumat is a company that produces vegan leather made from appleskin. The company was founded by Hannes Parth and they are the company behind Apple Leather. Frumat received the Technology and Innovation Award in 2018 for their innovative textile technology.
AppleSkin™ is a synthetic material that is vegan, has low environmental impact, and is made with apple waste coming from the food industry. Through a coagulation process that replaces 50% of fossil derivative with 50% of product coming from apple peels and cores from food industry discards, it is realized a vegetal material able to replace animal leather.
AppleSkin™ is one of the most versatile vegan leather alternatives out there, with almost every type of thickness as well as coloring and pigmentation possible to achieve
One of the benefits of using appleskin to create vegan leather is that it is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather.
Additionally, it can be produced in a variety of thicknesses and colors. AppleSkin™, for example, is one of the most versatile vegan leather alternatives out there, with almost every type of thickness as well as coloring and pigmentation possible to achieve.
Recycling products made from appleskin can be done by breaking down the material into its component fibers and then spinning those fibers into new yarn.
Tencel "Lyocell
Lyocell is a type of rayon fabric that is made from cellulose fibers, which are derived from wood pulp1. The process of making lyocell involves dissolving wood pulp in a solvent to create a thick liquid. This liquid is then pushed through small holes to create fibers, which are then spun into yarn and woven into fabric.
Lyocell has a number of benefits over other fabrics like cotton. For one, it requires less water and energy to produce than cotton.
Additionally, it is biodegradable and can be recycled. In fact, a variation on the lyocell-manufacturing process is being applied to the textile-waste problem by Re:NewCell, a start-up in Sweden.
Recycling lyocell products can be done by breaking down the fabric into its component fibers and then spinning those fibers into new yarn2. When compared to virgin cotton, recycled cotton has an impact on yarn and fabric properties such as evenness, strength, and uniformity. Recycled yarn cost is generally higher than standard, virgin cotton yarn costs, and could possibly be cost-prohibitive.
Circulose
Circulose is a new material made by recycling cotton from worn-out clothes and production waste. It is made from 100% discarded textiles and is a ‘dissolving pulp’ that can be used to make viscose, lyocell, modal, acetate other types of regenerated fibers (also called man-made cellulosic fibers or rayon).
Circulose is Renewcell’s invention which dissolves scraps of cotton into the same kind of pulp that is used to make new fabric – except that it doesn’t use any virgin resources to produce. That means no fields, irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers, trees, oil or microplastics. Circulose presents a quality equivalent to that of a virgin material.
ECONYL®
ECONYL® is a brand name of a fabric made of recycled nylon fibers produced by the Italian company Aquafil. The creators of ECONYL® wanted to reduce the environmental impact of nylon fabric, which is why this type of fabric is made completely from recycled plastic.
ECONYL® regenerated nylon makes what you wear match what you believe in. It is made from waste products that can be repurposed to make nylon-like fibers. The fabric is also known as recycled nylon or waste nylon.
ECONYL® fabric has a low breathability and low heat retention abilities but medium moisture-wicking abilities. It has a stretchability (give) and can have up to 1,680 denier variations.
Vegea / Wine Leather
Vegea leather is a type of plant-based vegan leather made from grape marc, which is the waste material from wine production. Vegea leather is produced by an Italian company called Vegea, which aims to create sustainable and ethical biomaterials for fashion, furniture, packaging and automotive industries. Vegea leather is eco-friendly, biodegradable, cruelty-free, and suitable for various applications such as shoes, bags, jackets, sofas, car seats, and more. Vegea leather has won several awards and has been used by brands such as H&M and Bentley. Vegea leather is made by drying, extracting, and polymerizing the bio-oil from the grape seeds, and combining it with the fibers from the grape skins and stalks. The resulting material is then processed and treated to create a leather-like fabric that is soft, smooth, stable, and recyclable. Vegea leather uses minimal water and chemical reagents in its production process, and does not use any petroleum or animal products. A personal favorite because, well...I like wine
