What is ECOVERO™ viscose

Made from purified cellulose, it is produced from specially processed wood pulp and is often compared to silk or cotton. ECOVERO™ fibers are made using sustainable wood from controlled sources which are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. 

Production

The manufacturing of ECOVERO™ fibers generates up to 50% lower emissions and water impact compared to generic viscose. Thanks to a closed loop process nearly all chemicals used during production are recovered and reused and the pulp bleaching is done with oxygen-based substances, which are 100% chlorine free. These fibers have been certified with the EU Ecolabel meeting high environmental standards from raw material extraction to production, distribution and disposal.

Properties

ECOVERO™ is very soft, comfortable, lightweight, breathable, durable, and anti-bacterial. The fabric is biodegradable. 

Vegan Cupro – woven fabric produced in Turkey

What is cupro

Cupro is made from cotton linter, the short downy fiber enfolding cotton seeds, and is normally disposed of without being used as a fiber source. Our cupro is GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified. 

Production

Cupro fiber supplier Asahi Kasei removes all impurities from the pre-consumer waste and transforms it into a pure regenerated cellulose fiber. The production lines include both mechanical and chemical processes. The production process uses closed loop manufacturing in which solvents are fully recovered. Our fabric supplier applies a Rose Finishing process that reduces water, and energy use compared with standard finishing of similar products. 

Properties

Cupro fabric is breathable, drapes beautifully and it is especially known to resemble silk. Vegan cupro needs less detergent and water for cleaning. It is biodegradable and decomposes in soil. 

Modal LENZING™ - jersey produced in Poland

What is modal 

The manufacturing process involves spinning cellulose from beech trees. The wood fibres are pulped into liquid form and then forced through tiny holes, creating the fibre. LENZING fibres are made using sustainable wood from controlled sources which are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. We use modal as a replacement for cotton jersey. 

Production 

The manufacturing process of fiber is a closed loop, which means that the chemicals used in processing are captured and reused. It takes much less water to produce modal, it is carbon-neutral, and it is better than cotton because it requires less land, and water per tonne than cotton. 

Properties

Breathable, silky smooth to the touch, more long-lasting, keeps its shape and colour and has high pilling resistance which improves durability of the final garment. Modal is also easy to care for and does not require any whitening agents or fabric softeners to keep your clothing in a good condition and you can use a shorter washing cycle to get it cleaned. This type of modal decomposes entirely.

...

After consideration, we have decided not to use polyester and cotton. Polyester is produced from non-renewable resources. From extracting crude oil, through production to releasing microplastics to the water cycle in everyday use, polyester has a high environmental impact and is potentially harmful for life on earth. It requires  more studies to clear most doubts. Polyester fabrics have low breathability which affects your body thermoregulation, can be rough to the skin and the worse the quality the more static it becomes. In the majority of cases it is non-biodegradable. 

Cotton has very high use of water required for irrigation of crops, fiber production and dying. Crops require a lot of land, heavy use of pesticides and herbicides affecting soil, local environment, farmers and their families health. Organic cotton certificates do not exclude use of pesticides entirely - It is recommended to use less toxic substances, and it is still allowed in specific situations.

Growing systems contribute to soil erosion and water systems pollution. Most chemicals in the production and dyeing process are single use and very often end up in river systems if not disposed of in the correct way. Conventional and organic cotton depending on the region it comes from are connected to child labour and human rights violation. 

There is not enough data and methodology of existing studies is questionable to state that organic cotton is more sustainable than conventional cotton in all aspects of its entire life cycle.