Stella McCartney is a vegetarian fashion company with a strong commitment to sustainability. The British designer label’s autumn/winter 2020 collection showcases yet another push forward with its engagement to sustainable fabric innovation. This time, its contribution to the world of clothing is the use of the world’s first biodegradable, stretch denim.
The fabric is made with plant-based yarns and no synthetic materials are involved. Italian manufacturer Candiani is the creator of this innovative eco-friendly denim. It utilizes Coreva Stretch Technology. This means that it’s made by wrapping organic cotton around a natural rubber core.
The result is a fabric that is microplastic– and plastic-free. The rubber replaces conventional synthetic and petrol-based elastomers. It is custom-engineered to be able to produce a stretch denim fabric without compromising elasticity, explained Candiani.
Indeed, all Stella McCartney denim is already made with 100% organic cotton. However, traditional denim, natural or not, involves using a vast amount of water, toxic dyes, and chemicals to create one pair of jeans. The Coreva Stretch Technology is not. It is produced in a toxic-free, safe environment.
The fabric is made with a pair of smart-dyeing techniques that reduce water consumption, chemical use in the laundry process and dyeing, and lowers energy use during production. Kitotex Vegetal is used as a replacement for starch, fixation agents, sizing agents, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). It is a patented biodegradable ingredient derived from seaweed and mushroom. Meanwhile, Indigo Juice is used to hold the indigo superficial onto the yarn.
Owner of the Candiani family mill, Alberto Candiani, said in a statement:
In a world where resources are diminishing and landfills are overflowing with discarded garments, it’s our duty to look for renewable resources, in addition to biodegradable and compostable material. Denim has to take the lead as the indigo flag of this revolution and we are thrilled to be working alongside Stella McCartney to share our innovation and beliefs with the wider fashion industry.
There will be ten pieces in two styles made with Candiani’s patented, plant-based Coreva Stretch Technology featured in Stella McCartney’s autumn/winter 2020 collection. The items will all be available online and in-stores globally as of May 2020.
