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Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
Pyratex
Pryatex’s Spanish cotton seeds.
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Inspired by the “zero-kilometer” food movement, Madrid-based material innovator Pyratex has announced a new 0km supply chain using Spain-cultivated cotton.
The R&D company’s version of this addresses cotton’s complex supply chain and its resulting significant carbon footprint. Focusing on Pyratex’s mission of creating sustainable fashion straight from Spain, the eco-innovative textile operator built its new supply chain around Spanish cotton to minimize logistics and environmental impact. The cotton is cultivated on 400 hectares (about 989 acres) in Seville and Córdoba, where it is also harvested and ginned, before being spun and knitted in Portugal.
By partnering with local ginners, Pyratex mitigates transportation emissions while maintaining traceability and quality control. The cotton, subject to EU regulations, is GMO-free, compliant with labor laws, and cultivated using water-efficient farming practices.
Treadfine
Treadfine’s mission is to use the expertise and knowledge of the Swes-s group to provide a better alternative to traditional hosiery products.
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The resulting collection—dubbed Pyratex Solea—was named after a traditional Andalusian flamenco style as a tribute to the region where the cotton is grown, Pyratex said.
Swe-s, the parent company of the premium hosiery brand Swedish Stockings, announced the launch of Treadfine.
This new business production will use the group’s know-how in sustainable hosiery to replace wear-and-tear nylon production with more durable and responsibly produced options in an effort to give brands a better alternative. Treadfine, Swe-s said, will accelerate this mission by providing more sustainable production for businesses at scale scale.
“We established Treadfine to give businesses and in turn, customers, a better alternative to traditional hosiery products at scale,” Linn Frisinger, CEO of Swe-s, said. “Treadfine is about helping other brands produce more sustainably so we can all minimize the environmental impact of traditional hosiery production.”
Swedish retailer MQ marks Treadfine’s first label partnership. All new partners, however, are encouraged to partake in Swedish Stockings’ closed-loop Recycling Club. The program takes back old tights (from any brand) and recycles their fibers into their next second life, including long-lasting products like furniture. This year, Swedish Stockings is scaling its efforts to take back more tights than produced and invites industry players to join Swe-s in the fight against the fashion industry’s version of plastic straws, per Frisinger.
Furthermore, Treadfine also invites brands to utilize Swe-s’ solar- and renewable-energy-powered production facilities in Italy. The sites use purified or reused water during the dyeing process, with all plants focused on responsible production across both workplace rights and environmental impact.
Spanx
The SpanxShape Invisible Supima Cotton collection.
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Following customer demand, shapewear stalwart Spanx launched SpanxShape Invisible Supima Cotton, a first-to-market shapewear innovation made from Supima’s cotton.
“As the inventors of modern shapewear, the category is a key focus for us and we will continue to introduce new innovative designs to our assortment, all while staying true to our core offering,” said Kiana Miree, chief merchandising officer at Spanx. “Our customers have been asking for cotton shapewear for some time, and with the launch of SpanxShape Invisible Supima Cotton, we’re excited to offer her even more options.”
The collection features a range of bestsellers reimagined in Supima’s extra-long fiber cotton. The brand combined Lycra elastane and Supima cotton to design the collection. Also incorporated was the application of advanced single-layer Printed Power shaping technology made with Lycra FitSense Print Technology. The collection features additional targeted stomach control panels that wrap around for 360-degree shaping while retaining Supima cotton’s lightweight, breathable, and sweat-wicking properties.
Algaeing
Algaeing’s Valentine’s Drop includes Cocoa Cloud, Truffle Latte, Mocha Mist and Brulee Brown.
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Algaeing has dropped a collection of colors inspired by Valentine’s Day. The algae-powered color company’s Algadye, a fully biodegradable algae-based dye formulation, is now offered in four new hues.
Each color in the drop is made with Algaeing’s proprietary technology, powered by renewable algae to create certified toxic free color solutions designed for drop-in integration within existing manufacturing processes. This technology allegedly saves 74 percent in greenhouse gas emissions and 98 percent in water use, compared to conventional dye manufacturing methods.
Algaeing Cocoa Cloud is a rich cocoa hue with hints of aubergine, intended to evoke feelings of cloud-like softness. Truffle Latte is a taupe-infused light brown evocative of, naturally, truffles and lattes. Mocha Mist channels caramel’s charm and curiosity, the Organic Basics collaborator said, while Brûlée Brown is a rich, warm sophisticated shade.
With proven performance results, these colors remove chemicals, pesticides and bisphenols from the production process while promoting worker safety and preventing water pollution.
Noble Biomaterials
Coolpro uses yarn construction to deliver cooling and antimicrobial protection.
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Antimicrobial solutions provider Noble Biomaterials has partnered with chemical-free thermoregulator Coolcore to introduce Coolpro: a fabric technology that provides advanced cooling performance as well as permanent antimicrobial protection. The duo will unveil this fabric innovation collaboration at Performance Days Munich in early March.
As the first fabric to combine Ionic+ Pro yarn technology with Coolcore Biomimetic Fiber Geometry, Coolpro integrates the two to create a first-of-its-kind advanced performance fabric. The former removes bacteria from garments beyond 100 washes as it is embedded into the fabric. Inspired by natural thermoregulation systems, the latter uses a proprietary process to augment fiber shape and structure for prolonged cooling performance.
“Performance Days offers us the perfect venue to showcase our latest innovation, and we’re thrilled to introduce Coolpro as the next extension of performance textiles,” said Allon Cohne, senior vice president, Ionic+ and chief marketing officer at Noble Biomaterials. “By merging our Ionic+ Pro technology with Coolcore’s proprietary cooling technology, we’re offering brands a valuable textile solution that delivers lasting performance in a multi-benefit platform.”
Other benefits of Coolpro include chemical-free fabrication that’s EPA-registered and Oeko-Tex certified. The material is a fully dyeable fabric that “seamlessly blends” natural and synthetic fibers. Coolpro itself comes in fabric options including recycled stretch woven, single jersey super micro and the soon-to-drop ultra-soft stretch jersey.
“We are proud to partner with Noble Biomaterials to launch Coolpro, a technology that truly represents the future of performance fabrics,” said Eric Schenker, CEO of Coolcore. “At Coolcore, we help brands craft their most innovative and sustainable cooling products. Coolpro furthers this mission by combining our biomimicking cooling technology with long-lasting and chemical-free antimicrobial benefits, offering brands a versatile, high-performance fabric.”
