New soles obtained from old ones, traceable recycled denims and a fabric for every hour of the day are some new sustainable products around. Here's our selection of the latest in innovative materials...
Reused rubber’s beauty
Marsèll, a handcrafted Made in Italy shoe brand, has just launched a new capsule collection collaboration with Japanese sandal brand Suicoke. The capsule offers an entirely leather sandal mounted onto a rubber sole made from a mix of recycled materials from old models and no longer used molds that are ground down and reassembled together. 
Betting on a new awareness
Calik Denim believes in the importance of using recycled raw materials such as cotton and polyester to lower its environmental impact. As part of its 2025 targets, it aims to achieve a 60% use of organic, recycled or BCI Cotton in production and boosting traceability. As part of this goal, it has started a collaboration with Aware, a worldwide provider of biometrics products used for identity verification and management solutions. Together, they have kicked off a new capsule collection offering four different products made with fully traceable recycled materials. 
Proving that a garment is made with trustworthy recycled material is very difficult. The recycled materials travel between several locations and organizations including spinners, dyeing houses, weaving mills and traders and during this journey the recycled material can easily be modified or tweaked. Therefore the industry is working with various certification methods to prevent any greenwashing.
“Aware’s tracer particles are added to the fiber pre-production. From this yarn that is made with recycled materials and tracer particles, we create a digital ‘twin’ version, which includes properties like composition, color, weight and the original certification. This ‘digital twin’ is registered into a secure blockchain to be completely fraud-free. By adding tracers, every garment receives a unique fingerprint, and this can be easily read out with an easy-to-use scanner for authentication,” Calik explained. 
The GRS line includes various products. These include Elan GRS, a resistant and soft-touch line of yarns for covering seams, or in knitwear for creating totally recycled fabrics; Kuma GRS, a core-yarn sewing thread for clothing, furniture and footwear; Micro GRS, a soft-touch recycled microfiber; and Leaf, an accelerated biodegradability nylon, which degrades in five years instead of several decades like traditional nylon yarns.
When old sails start a new journey
Camper x North Sails is a new capsule of bags made with old boats’ sails at the end of their lifecycle. The selection includes backpacks, bags and shopping bags whose shape is inspired by the boats’ silhouettes. 
When grey can be the right choice
Grey State Apparel is a US brand offering woman’s comfortable jersey and knitwear pieces. The brand, owned and operated by women, claims to act responsibly toward people and the planet as it maps all of its manufacturing processes and works closely with Oeko-Tex, United Green Building Council (UGBC), Partnership for Cleaner Textiles (PaCT), Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) and Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI). It also adheres to the UN's sustainability goals to ensure apparel is produced with the highest standards. The brand has just announced its admission into the Global Fashion Agenda's Global Fashion Partnership. 
Grey State Apparel has just launched its new Wellness Collection, a collection that emphasizes a sense of comfort and self care made from three innovative fabric blends: Milk Modal, Cotton Collagen and Micromodal. It chose these materials with the aim to convey a sense of hydration, anti-aging benefits and nurturing the skin.
One fabric for 24 hours
For s/s 2022, Portuguese fabric specialist Tintex is offering Tintex 24h, a fabric collection that can be worn throughout the day making wearers feel comfortable as it performs. It uses responsible materials from recycled synthetics to organic cotton.
It is based upon only one interlock structure that has been reinvented and re-explored by combining texturized and plain surfaces, light and heavy weights, as its structure has natural stretch performances and a very good dimensional stability. 
Tintex 24h can fit the different areas of a daily wardrobe: from casual- to formalwear, from athleisure to sports, from loungewear to underwear. The company has asked five contemporary Portuguese designers–Rita Sá, David Catalan, Maria Gambina, Maria Meira and Behén–to create unique pieces that interpret the Tintex 24h philosophy that we should all start to consume differently and more sustainably.
Loving the outdoor world
The outdoorwear brand Jack Wolfskin is launching a series of apparel pieces and equipment made with Texapore Ecosphere technology, a new membrane consisting of waste cuttings and 15% fully recycled PET bottles. Moreover, zippers, buttons and packaging of the collection are made exclusively from recycled materials. In addition, all products are PFC-free. 
Jack Wolfskin is generally keen about working exclusively with 100% organic cotton, down and merino wool from species-appropriate husbandry, while fur and angora wool are avoided on principle. The brand also uses, among others, water-less technologies and cooperates with the Seaqual Project as it supports the recycling of plastic waste from the Mediterranean.
Vibram steps ahead
For 2021 Vibram is offering a series of green-oriented novelties. Among its newest blends destined for climbing activities–both indoor and outdoor–it is launching Vibram XS Eco, made by reusing 20% production remains from Vibram climbing rubber sole production, mixed with new rubber. 
Also new is the Vibram N-OIL rubber mix devised to offer a green alternative for the urban and light-outdoor footwear segment. More than 90% of the rubber is obtained from natural materials while keeping high-quality, grip and performance standards. These soles’ color is exclusive and is made with 100% natural pigments obtained from plants’ extraction or from drying techniques. The whole process uses no solvents or chemicals.
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Reused rubber’s beauty
Marsèll, a handcrafted Made in Italy shoe brand, has just launched a new capsule collection collaboration with Japanese sandal brand Suicoke. The capsule offers an entirely leather sandal mounted onto a rubber sole made from a mix of recycled materials from old models and no longer used molds that are ground down and reassembled together.
Photo: Marsèll x Suicoke
Marsèll x Suicoke
Calik Denim believes in the importance of using recycled raw materials such as cotton and polyester to lower its environmental impact. As part of its 2025 targets, it aims to achieve a 60% use of organic, recycled or BCI Cotton in production and boosting traceability. As part of this goal, it has started a collaboration with Aware, a worldwide provider of biometrics products used for identity verification and management solutions. Together, they have kicked off a new capsule collection offering four different products made with fully traceable recycled materials.
Photo: Aware
Aware's work process
“Aware’s tracer particles are added to the fiber pre-production. From this yarn that is made with recycled materials and tracer particles, we create a digital ‘twin’ version, which includes properties like composition, color, weight and the original certification. This ‘digital twin’ is registered into a secure blockchain to be completely fraud-free. By adding tracers, every garment receives a unique fingerprint, and this can be easily read out with an easy-to-use scanner for authentication,” Calik explained.
During the first phase, the denim specialist will focus on recycled cotton and recycled polyester, however the technology can be applied to other sustainable materials.
Follow the green thread
Manifattura Italiana Cucirini (MIC), an Italian sewing thread manufacturer, has launched its new GRS line offering recycled polyester yarns, made from 100% post-consumer packaging materials. This range of products has obtained the GRS 2019-210 Global Recycle Standard certification by ICEA, a body that verifies the traceability of recycled raw materials and processes along the entire supply chain.
Photo: MIC
MIC's GRS line
When old sails start a new journey
Camper x North Sails is a new capsule of bags made with old boats’ sails at the end of their lifecycle. The selection includes backpacks, bags and shopping bags whose shape is inspired by the boats’ silhouettes.
Photo: Camper x North Sails
Camper x North Sails
Grey State Apparel is a US brand offering woman’s comfortable jersey and knitwear pieces. The brand, owned and operated by women, claims to act responsibly toward people and the planet as it maps all of its manufacturing processes and works closely with Oeko-Tex, United Green Building Council (UGBC), Partnership for Cleaner Textiles (PaCT), Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) and Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI). It also adheres to the UN's sustainability goals to ensure apparel is produced with the highest standards. The brand has just announced its admission into the Global Fashion Agenda's Global Fashion Partnership.
Photo: Grey State
Wellness collection by Grey State
One fabric for 24 hours
For s/s 2022, Portuguese fabric specialist Tintex is offering Tintex 24h, a fabric collection that can be worn throughout the day making wearers feel comfortable as it performs. It uses responsible materials from recycled synthetics to organic cotton.
It is based upon only one interlock structure that has been reinvented and re-explored by combining texturized and plain surfaces, light and heavy weights, as its structure has natural stretch performances and a very good dimensional stability.
Photo: Tintex
Tintex fabrics
Loving the outdoor world
The outdoorwear brand Jack Wolfskin is launching a series of apparel pieces and equipment made with Texapore Ecosphere technology, a new membrane consisting of waste cuttings and 15% fully recycled PET bottles. Moreover, zippers, buttons and packaging of the collection are made exclusively from recycled materials. In addition, all products are PFC-free.
Photo: Jack Wolfskin
Jack Wolfskin
Vibram steps ahead
For 2021 Vibram is offering a series of green-oriented novelties. Among its newest blends destined for climbing activities–both indoor and outdoor–it is launching Vibram XS Eco, made by reusing 20% production remains from Vibram climbing rubber sole production, mixed with new rubber.
Photo: Vibram
Vibram
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