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.
Trashie
Recycling and rewards platform Trashie has partnered with footwear brand Steve Madden—a move indicative of how circularity and sustainable behaviors are becoming more mainstream throughout the states, the brands claim.
Steve Madden shoppers can purchase Trashie’s Take Back Bag for $20 online and fill it with old clothes and shoes before sending it back to Trashie’s recycling facility using a pre-paid shipping label. In exchange, these customers will receive $25 off their next Steve Madden purchase made online.
“I’m incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Trashie, which marks a key step in our efforts to support end-of-life management for our products. As we look to 2024 and beyond, a key part of our sustainability journey involves creating a holistic, circular approach to fashion across our supply chain,” said Gregg Meyer, Steve Madden’s chief sustainability officer. “Trashie’s innovative platform aligns perfectly with this vision, allowing us to offer our customers an opportunity to responsibly and easily give new life to their used fashion and footwear. We’re eager to see how this partnership will empower our customers and drive positive change in the years to come.”
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Everything sent to Trashie’s recycling facility is assigned to one of 253 grades with a specific category, size, quality and fabrication to “ensure” each item finds its next best home, whether that be via reuse, downcycling or fiber-to-fiber recycling. Up to 95 percent of collected items are kept out of landfills, Trashie said.
“It’s wonderful to see a mainstream brand like Steve Madden making such a meaningful commitment to circularity,” said Kristy Caylor, founder and CEO of Trashie. “We are proud to partner with the Steve Madden team to deliver a fun and inspiring way for their customers to engage with recycling. Our goal is to ease our partners’ transition to a more circular future by leveraging our proven consumer model and back-end recycling logistics to drive measurable and lasting impact for the brand.”
Bluesign x Storm Creek
Storm Creek, a sustainable apparel firm within the promotional products industry, announced its official partnership with Bluesign as a system partner as the first promotional products brand to join the sustainability system.
“This partnership takes our already strong commitment to sustainability to the next level,” said Doug Jackson, Storm Creek’s founder and president. “Our aim is to inspire and educate promotional products distributors to sell sustainably and increase the impact their end buyers can have. Storm Creek is proud to set the standard for the promo industry.”
As part of its commitment, Storm Creek has pledged to only use Bluesign-approved fabrics by 2025. The partnership aligns with the brand’s mission to deliver high-performance, sustainable apparel while minimizing environmental impact. Storm Creek’s upcoming 2025 product catalog will feature a range of products made with Bluesign-certified fabrics as well.
“We are thrilled to welcome Storm Creek as a promotional products brand to join the Bluesign system,” said Daniel Rüfenacht, Bluesign’s CEO. “Their commitment to using 100 percent Bluesign approved fabrics by 2025 is a bold and commendable step toward a more sustainable future. Storm Creek’s leadership in this area sets an inspiring example for the entire promotional products industry.”
Organic Basics
Intimates and essentials apparel brand Organic Basics partnered with actress Antonia Gentry, marking the “Ginny & Georgia” star’s first fashion collaboration.
“We are thrilled to partner with Antonia Gentry,” said Mads Fibiger Rasmussen, founder and CEO of Organic Basics. “The collection highlights our shared passion for sustainability, allowing us to help people build a wardrobe that they feel good wearing and is better for the planet, too.”
Designed for both comfort and durability, the collection is comprised of two of Organic Basics’ softest and most sustainable materials. The Organic Cotton Standard (OCS)-certified Soft Knit Rib pieces are made from a blend of 60 percent organic cotton and 40 percent recycled nylon. The Soft Touch Veil pieces are made from 95 percent Tencel lyocell and 5 percent elastane, offering a soft and luxurious feel. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton pieces round out the Copenhagen-based brand’s collection.
“Sustainability is so important to me, so Organic Basics is the perfect brand to team up with for my very own collection,” Gentry said. “Everyone loves a great basic, something versatile that they can wear over and over. I love the sustainable materials, the way that all the pieces feel—the whole collection is just super comfortable.”
As part of the partnership, Organic Basics will donate 1 percent of every purchase to the Rainforest Trust—a nonprofit focused on the purchase and protection of tropical lands to conserve threatened species.
Modern Meadow
Biomaterials company Modern Meadow has collaborated with Maes Paris, a sustainable, small leather goods brand, on the M1_06 Biofabbrica handbag in black. This “mini” version of its first M1_01 handbag, the M1_06, is made from Maes Paris’ third vegan material, M_MAT_biofabbrica, and leverages Modern Meadow’s proprietary protein and biopolymer blend platform, Bio-Alloy.
“This is a valuable step forward in sustainability for Modern Meadow, Maes Paris and the luxury fashion industry,” said David Williamson, president and chief operating officer of Modern Meadow. “The environmental cost of luxury goods weighs heavily on customers and manufacturers alike. By developing alternatives to traditional materials that both perform well and have a smaller footprint, we all benefit.”
Modern Meadow’s Bio-Alloy is the platform for each company’s products, comprised of plant-based proteins and biopolymers. For the collaboration with Maes Paris, Modern Meadow provided Bio-Tex, a leather-like material built with Bio-Alloy. Bio-Tex has a lower environmental cost than traditional leather but delivers the same look and feel, as seen in the M1_06 biofabbrica.
To be granted Maes Paris’ M_MAT qualification, M_MAT_biofabbrica had to demonstrate an “exceptional sensory experience,” prove to be just as strong and resistant as leather while having the lowest possible impact. With its Bio-Alloy platform, Modern Meadow helped M_MAT_biofabbrica meet these requirements, especially regarding flexing capacity.
“More than six years ago, Modern Meadow was one of the first bio-innovation companies we met,” said Romain Boubert, founder of Maes Paris. “The discussion we had back then played an important role in how we decided to shape the future of Maes Paris, and I am thrilled to turn it into a fruitful collaboration with the launch of M_MAT_biofabbrica. The technology developed by Modern Meadow with Bio-Tex offers a high-performance material, which combined with the craftsmanship of our workshops, allows us to further develop our innovative and sustainable French ‘haute maroquinerie.'”
The black M1_06 handbag is the first product of the Modern Meadow and Maes Paris collaboration, with additional developments underway. The handbag will be featured in the Doors.NYC showroom at Paris Fashion Week.
Balena
Materials science company Balena has collaborated with artist-designer Zulu Kuki on a product merging the worlds of footwear design with technology and innovation.
At the heart of the collaboration is BioCir Flex3D, Balena’s biobased and recyclable 3D-printing material. Together, the two crafted a 3D-printed shoe inspired by the automotive industry, drawing inspiration from the functional elements of 1970s racing cars such as the Porsche 935. Its modular and customizable design features interchangeable soles and socks, allowing wearers to personalize their footwear.
“Seeing our BioCir Flex3D material come to life again, this time with Zulu Kuki—a visionary designer—has truly showcased the potential of sustainable innovation in the fashion industry,” David Roubach, founder and CEO of Balena, said. “His creative approach and dedication to pushing the boundaries aligns perfectly with our mission to revolutionize materials science. It’s exciting to see how our material, with its unique blend of flexibility, durability and biodegradability, can be a key enabler in creating footwear that’s not only beautiful and functional but also circular.”
The design of Zulu Kuki’s 3D-printed shoe represents a “bold departure” from traditional footwear aesthetics. Rejecting the conventional clog look, Kuki’s approach focuses on modularity and integrates both traditional and innovative elements. Unlike typical mono-shoes, which often feature a single, uniform design, Zulu Kuki’s footwear design separates the traditional upper and sock components from the more “futuristic” elements. The result is a visibly distinctive contrast between the design of the upper and the sock from the modular features of the shoe’s sole.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how seamlessly [Balena’s] 3D printing filament integrated into my design process. The material’s smooth printing at low temperatures allowed for exceptional ease and precision, and its flexibility—softer than others—struck the perfect balance between comfort and durability,” Łukasz Pączkowski, also known as Zulu Kuki, said. “I also appreciated its reuse potential and alignment with sustainable practices, which resonate with my commitment to reducing waste. This collaboration has not only enhanced my designs’ functionality but also reinforced my vision of creating customizable and sustainable footwear solutions.”