Sourcing at Magic: Not All Next-Gen Materials Are Created Equal

Next generation materials are making a mark on the industry, and early adopters of these innovations play a pivotal role in testing their performance against conventional options and their ability to scale commercially.

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A panel at the Sourcing at Magic trade show in Las Vegas this week explored the triumphs and pain points of unconventional new materials.

Joey Pringle, the founder and co-owner of China-based plant-based leather goods manufacturer Veshin Factory , said that working with alternatives to animal hides has been a learning experience. While working with such inputs was new and exciting when they began to come on the scene several years ago, “A lot of the materials that people were working with, like Pinatex and Desserto, had a higher PU content,” making their pineapple leaf alt-leather and cactus-based faux hides heavily plastic-based.

According to Pringle, when it comes to the rise of next-gen options, “the marketing was really big, the storytelling was really sexy, but there was an element of greenwashing in there.”

But more recently, “What happened is, with innovation, the industry was starting to become more and more progressive and understanding about how to eliminate PU plastics and petrochemicals from the equation,” he said. “We started working with companies that had a better ratio and balanced percentage of plastic versus bio-content.”

Veshin now works with companies like Leap, an apple leather startup from Denmark, which boasts a leather alternative that’s 85 percent bio-based. The company also employs Natural Fiber Welding’s animal-free and plastic-free leather, Mirum , which is made from natural rubber, plant-based oil, natural pigments and minerals.

“They cracked the code for chemistry to create material that was completely free of all plastics and petrochemicals,” Pringle said.

According to the founder, it’s important that supply chain partners like Veshin take the time to dig into the merits of the materials they decide to use so they can help brands achieve their goals. “Being a more conscious, progressive company, we can really explain to the brand and give them the opportunity to choose the right materials that complement their journey,” he said.

This knowledge can help brands truly understand the qualities of the materials they’re buying into, allowing them to communicate more effectively with their customers, like retailers, and end consumers.

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Nonetheless, Pringle said brands should be mindful of the claims they make publicly. For example, while a material used to make an accessory, like a handbag, might be compostable or biodegradable, it’s likely that the other components used to make it—zippers, threads, glues and more—aren’t. And until the whole product can be made entirely with parts and pieces that fulfill that promise, labels shouldn’t be touting such environmental benefits, he believes.

“We haven’t cracked that code just yet,” he said. “The key right now in this industry to create long-lasting, durable product,” rather than touting an item’s propensity to biodegrade.

Los Angeles activewear startup ALWRLD, founded just 1.5 years ago, has already earned B Corp certification through its holistic championing of next-generation materials, from recycled polyester made from plastic bottles to recycled nylon made from recovered fishing nets, along with inventive solutions like SeaCelI LT, a raw material made from seaweed and wood that is made using a method similar to lyocell processing.

“The goal of building the brand was to look at not dipping our toe into sustainability, but looking at how we can put sustainability into each and every item,” said CEO Philip Pavkov. The brand has done that not just by curating a range of eco-friendly fabrics, but choosing trims, packaging and processing practices that are circular or help reduce waste.

Pavkov’s journey began as a design and textile science student at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). “I just thought it was fascinating how things interact with the human body, whether it’s temperature, whether it’s sweat—how these fibers work that are touching us all the time.” Unsurprisingly, he discovered that the athletic sector was investing most heavily in the advancement of performance textiles.

“The sport and athleisure markets were really the ones that were pushing that part of development and interest, and so I gravitated toward that market,” he said. “It opened up a whole new world to me, because it didn’t have to be polyester or nylon or even cotton or wool—there’s this whole world where we can create these fibers out of different things,” from fashion industry waste to the refuse created by other sectors.

And now, fibers and textiles originally developed for performance products are being used across a wider range of apparel, bringing sustainable innovations to a wider audience, he said.

But the application of next-gen materials is still relatively limited at this point in time. Asked how consumers can buy better, Pringle said they should try to integrate environmental consciousness into their selection process when they shop. “Ask more questions,” he said. “You’re not going to buy the best thing all the time, but try to be progressive in your thought process.”

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