Fast fashion is big business, but it is also a big polluter, responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions. About 70% of the $3 trillion fashion industry is comprised of articles made from synthetics or petrochemicals.
While some companies are claiming to have sustainable clothing lines, there is a very wide variation in what this means. For some the carbon sequestration is in manufacturing, while for others it is in the clothing itself.
The market for plant-based clothing is booming, showcased by companies such as Active Activewear, Kent Underwear and the startup Unsars, which bills itself as “the first streetwear brand to make products that will decompose harmlessly at end-of-life”. ” Unlike most petroleum-based clothing today, you can compost these clothes. According to the company, they are all made from 100% plant-based materials such as recycled cotton, hemp, plant-based leather, and coconut fiber.
Anas CEO Eric Liedtke said, “We started the company because we are a group of fashion executives who are tired of the make-believe, pick-and-throw culture of fashion.” “The planned obsolescence of fashion is basically based on a petrochemical or petroleum-based feedstock, which means it’s cheap. But what you may not know about it is what makes synthetics a forever material that never She goes.”
Liedtke comes from Adidas, so it’s no surprise that as long as the shoes are included with the apparel and accessories.
“Our product begins with the end in mind. It becomes a very easy story to tell to consumers, because the most obvious thing is what happens when I use it? It goes through and becomes food for plants and insects. And that’s just as important as the quality of the product you make. It’s the product timing of the story,” Liedtke said.
Unless there’s just one pop-up retail store in her hometown of Portland, Ore., in addition to online sales. Liedtke expects the company to grow with rapidly growing consumer demand for greener products, and plans to collaborate with other brands as more companies look to tackle fashion waste. until the recent collaboration with Mammut, a 160-year-old Swiss climbing company.
“We did this around International Mountain Day, and I’m happy to say the product sold out in 48 hours,” Liedtke said.
Those collaborations may help the company reduce relatively high prices: For example, a “biodegradable hoodie” is listed on the company’s website for $119. Some shoppers say it’s worth it for this reason.
Drew Uletchi, who was shopping at the pop-up, said, “I would pay more for sustainable clothing, I feel partly, like it’s my contribution to helping the planet, and I think we Everyone should contribute.” Shop.
Until is backed by Connect Ventures, an investment partnership between Creative Artists Agency and NEA (New Enterprise Associates), and has raised $7.5 million to date.