Alternative textiles

Made from waste pineapple leaf fibre Piñatex is produced in a range of colours and finishes, including a textured surface and a metallic finish. It is:
Strong
Breathable
Soft
Flexible

Piñatex/Original/Pluma/Mineral/Metallic are water resistant, not waterproof.

Piñatex Performance is waterproof.

The substrate/base material of Piñatex (made from 80% pineapple leaf fibre, 20% PLA) is biodegradable under controlled industry conditions.

Piñatex is made from the waste leaves of the pineapple plant.

More info here.

Piñatex is a leather alternative used across fashion, accessories & upholstery by over 1000 brands worldwide including Hugo Boss, Stella McCartney and H&M.

Pinatex is an innovative leather made entirely out of pineapple leaves, which are usually thrown away in the fruit industry. Footwear labels Puma, Camper, Svala, Hugo boss and Stella Mcartney are experimenting with Pinatex to make products that are friendlier to the environment.

Other than being extremely cost-effective (at just AU$35 per metre instead of about $60 for traditional leather), this fabric doesn’t use the toxic chemicals that are usually used in leather production, so it’s better for your health and the environment. The leather is also vegan friendly.

Ananas Anam works to the values of a circular economy, combining research and innovation to enhance the well-being of the earth and its people throughout the entire life cycle of the product.

Lyocell and modal are fibres made from a sustainable natural wood source. They are both a form of rayon; fibre from regenerated cellulose.

Typically rayon is:
Light
Breathable
Quick drying
Shrinks and wrinkles less than cotton
Naturally bacteria resistant

Tencel, the original trademark of lyocell also produces a form of modal and up-cycled REFIBRA. Other brands include Lenzing.

The main differences are;

Lyocell consists of cellulose fibre, made from dissolving pulp and then reconstituting it by dry jet-wet spinning. The fibre is used to make textiles for clothing and other purposes

Modal: Is a fabric made specifically the pulp of beech trees. It is an exceptionally soft and flexible (advanced) form of rayon.

Tencel REFIBRA: The fibres are the result of an innovation that combines wood and recycled cotton fibres. The wood pulp used in REFIBRA is a renewable raw material that comes from sustainably managed forests. The addition of recycled cotton scraps (left over from garment production) not only diverts materials from the waste stream but also reduces the wood pulp content.

Patagonia has been using Refibra within their garments.

In production, rayon (including lyocell, modal and REFIBRA) requires less energy and water than conventional cotton. Although, like most materials, it is often coloured with harmful conventional dyes, rayon requires a lot less dye than cotton. It is also pure white when produced, so no bleaching is necessary and un-dyed is always an option.

More info: What is Tencel

No

As a plant-derived fibre, rayon is also biodegradable, but check that it isn’t mixed with other synthetic fibres like nylon when it comes time to dispose of the garment.

See General Description

Allbirds Treeline Shoes
Organic Basics clothing

Econyl is a material derived from waste nylon. This circular approach of using a mono material key for keeping materials in use and preventing further mining for oil derived materials.

Econyl has very similar properties to virgin nylon.

Not waterproof, or water resistant unless coated

Econyl being nylon derived, can alsoo be recycled.

Regardless of keeping materials in circularity however, synthetic materials will inevitably still create waste through microfibres. These tiny plastic particles are released from synthetic fibres when washed and through their general use.

It is advised to use Econyl fabrics for products which do not require regular washing, alongside using a micro-plastic wash catch bag, or installing a filter into your washing machine.

The majority of waste used to make Econyl is sourced through fishing nets, other ocean plastic and textile plastic waste.

Brands such as Mara Hoffman and Prada use Econyl within their products.

Bananatex is a natural cellulosic biodegradable "technical" canvas fabric made of Abacá banana plant fibres.

It is cultivated in the Philippines within a natural ecosystem of sustainable forestry, the plant requires no chemical treatments.

Its self-sufficiency has made it an important contributor to reforestation of areas once eroded by Palm plantations, whilst enhancing the prosperity of local farmers. Banatex is a fully biodegradable material, meaning when it breaks down it replenishes, leaving no trace, nor waste.

Banatex have joined forces with the London based footwear brand Good News on H&M’s first ever shoe collaboration using this innovative materials. Known for their playful and retro-inspired sneakers, Good News is continuously exploring new, innovative materials for their shoes and shares our commitment to sustainability.

Banatex is also being used for furniture production seen on the MAE Chair. In addition to its sustainability, this fabric is also extremely resistant and - thanks to its beeswax coating - waterproof, making it the perfect material for the MAE Chair, which can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Yes

Fully biodegradable

Bananatex is made from the stalks of the abaca banana plant. This is made into a paper which it then cut to make a yarn, and woven into a fabric impregnated with beeswax.

H&M collab with banatex
MAE chair

Desserto is a vegan cactus alternative leather. Cactus is a renewable resource, taking 6-8 weeks to fully grow back after harvested, making this leather alternative a strong sustainable choice.

It has similar properties to traditional leather.

Can have waterproof coating applied to it.

Desserto is an organic and biodegradable material, which in the right condition will break down in a compost.

Leaves are cut, washed and mashed before leaving to dry for 3 days. These are then mixed with non toxic chemicals and formed into sheets with a texture/colour added to mimic traditional leather.

Lasting 10+ years, it is commonly used for apparel, footwear, handbags, interiors and sportswear.

London-based vegan sustainable label Luxtra has launched a new collection of cactus bags.

Mango leather is derived from the fruit waste, diverting this waste from landfill to an 100% natural animal-leather alternative.

It is:
Flexible
Durable with a traditional leather like texture
Currently only produced in small pieces (40 by 60 cm)

Waterproof & water repellent

100% biodegradable

Each week fruitleather collect 1,500 mangos. The mangos are de-stoned, turned into a pulp and dried out. The colour changes depending on which type of mangoes are used, from dark brown to lighter browns.

The leather has a protective coating, to seal it to ensure a long and robust last of the material.

Other than additives, Mango leather has a GOTs organic cotton backing to add extra strength, and is 100% natural, breaking down naturally in the environment. Mango leather does not last the typical +10yrs long as traditional cow leather.

Wallets, handbags and shoes. Due to the small production sizes, smaller items suit best to this material.

The brand Luxtra are using mango leather for a collection of products; handbags, wallets and smaller accessories.

Made from thin sheets of real wood, wood leather is said to reduce the kg CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by up to 60% compared to a square metre of cow leather. It is:
Flexible
Robust & longlasting
Unique in texture and appearance

Can be varnish to improve water resistance

Biodegradeable

Thin sheets of wood are laser etched with lines all over to make the material as flexible as fabric and then covered with a protective varnish.

Small accessories, card holders, passport holders including these

Cupro fabric is made of regenerated cellulose fibers from recycled cotton linter, it is a breathable material, which regulates temperature like cotton, drapes elegantly, and feels like silk. Often used for dresses and blouses, it is also used as a vegan alternative to silk, and known as ammonia silk, cuprammonium rayon or Bemberg.

Properties are somewhere between a fine cotton and silk however it wrinkles easily and burns easily.

Cupro is biodegradable as well as easily recycled, since it’s made from 100% plant-based materials. It is a byproduct of the cotton industry, which is notorious for creating and using mass resources.

On the not-so-sustainable front, Cupro requires harsh chemicals to be processed, ones which are extremely harmful for the planet and people if not properly disposed of. There are also zero certifications for Cupro fabric, and its production was even banned in the USA “due to the inability of manufacturers to comply with basic air and water protection regulations”.

Cupro is technically a recycled and cruelty free material, however there are alternatives such as spider silk and citrus fibre that are potentially less damaging to the environment.

Would need to be treated.

Cupro is biodegradable as well as easily recycled, since it’s made from 100% plant-based materials. It is a byproduct of the cotton industry, which is notorious for creating and using mass resources.

Cupro requires harsh chemicals to be processed, ones which are extremely harmful for the planet and people if not properly disposed of. There are also zero certifications for Cupro fabric, and its production was even banned in the USA “due to the inability of manufacturers to comply with basic air and water protection regulations”. Production of Cupro predominantly happens in China.

It also requires up to 70% more energy to produce than cotton, making it a good example of a vegan alternative that does more harm than good when you look into the details.

Whilst Cupro is technically a recycled and cruelty free material, alternatives spider silk and citrus fibre are potentially less damaging to the environment.

Dresses, blouses & shirts from brands including Mango