Redress winner launches puffer jacket made of upcycled materials

U.K. designer Maddie Williams has recently launched a sustainable puffer jacket after winning the Redress Design Award 2019, one of the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competitions. Created in collaboration with major Chinese fashion brand JBNY Group, the sustainable puffer jacket is made with a mix of upcycled and recycled materials, including deadstock fabrics for the exterior and recycled polyester for the lining. The jacket now retails in over 100 stores in China.

After placing first in the 2019 Redress Design Award, Maddie Williams joined the Hangzhou-headquartered JNBY Group to launch a sustainable garment for its fashion brand ‘less’ to be sold in more than 100 of its stores. The young designer drew on the patchworking technique from her zero-waste Redress Design Award collection, ‘The Mourners’, to create a multicolored puffer jacket stuffed with repurposed duck and goose down collected from post-consumer duvets and pillows.

Related: This clothing tech company is 3D-printing garments to help reduce waste

“It was an immersive and authentic experience of working in the fashion industry,” Williams said. “With the guidance and translation of the JNBY team I spoke to in-house pattern cutters and knit technicians, did sample fittings, looked through deadstock fabric and picked trims in their giant storerooms. It was a very dynamic and fast-paced place to work; you could request something in the morning and get it back in the afternoon. Being able to do this gave me my first genuine insight of the realities of creating a collection for retail — and it was a unique experience to have been involved in all of the steps.”

In collaborating with Williams, JNBY Group has also worked together with Redress, the Hong Kong-based environmental NGO that aims to prevent and transform textile waste in the fashion industry through education and initiatives such as the Redesign Design Award. The Redesign Design Award 2021 will begin accepting applications from emerging designers worldwide on January 8, 2021. 

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This waterproof outwear is made with fishing nets and nylon waste

Sisters Marta and Lucia Scarampi have always focused on slow fashion by making each item in the Marta Scarampi clothing line on-demand as orders are received. This avoids excess waste and unnecessary inventory. Additionally, the company uses every scrap from the cutting room floor to make hair scrunchies, headbands and masks. Now, the brand’s newest line, The Greta Collection, makes use of waste like fishing nets to create sustainable, durable outerwear.

The newest collection continues the trend of avoiding waste during the manufacturing process but also reduces waste already in the environment by relying on ECONYL, a fiber made in Italy. ECONYL is generated from used carpets, old fishing nets and other fabric scraps. In addition to the recycling involved at the origin, the materials are endlessly recyclable at the end of the garments’ lifecycles, too.

Related: Second Nature transforms abandoned fishing nets into 3D-printed seashells and bowls

Marta Scarampi’s investment in ECONYL for circular fashion is referred to as The Re-Waste Project, and the initial release is the capsule The Greta Collection. It includes six pieces that can be worn for work or play. “With most of us working from home now, we shifted the focus to casual wear to match this modern lifestyle,” Marta said. “We imagine you wanting to be comfortable when you’re out on the weekends, running errands, riding your bike, and really just enjoying the present, and being you.”

The capsule collection offers interchangeable options that include a parka, cape, jacket, detachable hood, belt bag and, of course, the latest universally necessary accessory, a face mask. The material for all of the products is waterproof, machine-washable and durable. If at some point you want to part with your coat or accessory, it can go back into the recycling process, directly contributing to the reduction of pollution at every stage of the cycle. Lucia said, “Even when you one day decide to discard the reusable face masks we make, the best part is knowing that it can eventually be recycled, and turned into new ECONYL® fibre again.”

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Jumpsuit inspired by the pandemic is made from upcycled luxury fabric

The R Collective, a social impact and upcycled womenswear brand known for reducing textile waste and fashion industry-generated pollution, has teamed up with conservationist, artist and activist Susan Rockefeller to launch the Enlightened Uniform. This modern jumpsuit is a reflection of the times, according to the company, with pandemic-inspired features like an attached face mask and hidden pockets.

“As the pandemic continues to rock the world, 2020 has proved a major global wake-up call about how interconnected our ecosystem, economy and community is,” Susan Rockefeller said in a press release. “Fashion is an extremely wasteful industry and the reality of the pandemic, during which women have radically changed their approach to dressing, fueled my desire to create a versatile, luxurious and comfortable uniform that we can feel protected in whilst also knowing that it has been ethically made. This pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon and this jumpsuit is a great solid uniform for now and the future.” Twenty-five percent of the profits will go to Redress, a charity that works to accelerate the circular economy.

Related: Designer Dana Cohen creates unique, recycled fabric garments

Apart from its construction out of upcycled fabric from luxury brands’ rescued waste materials, the durable-yet-versatile jumpsuit features a windproof hood with adjustable drawstrings and a functional, compact bag to make it packable for easier travel. Perhaps the most obvious allusion to 2020 is the removable protective face covering, which is concealed within the hood to offer an added layer of protection. It also includes a smart functioning chest pocket that is big enough to hold a set of keys and side pockets with an additional hidden mesh pocket to hold things like phones or wallets.

Colors range from heather gray to charcoal mélange to dark navy. Materials such as Lyocell and upcycled cashmere go into the fabric, while a North Star-inspired cluster of upcycled Swarovski crystals on the back adds an extra-luxurious feature to the design. The jumpsuits are available to pre-order for $425 each.

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Photography by Thomas Giddings via The R Collective

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Biodegradable mushroom packaging makes Seedlip gifts special

In an effort to help reduce food packaging waste, non-alcoholic spirit company Seedlip is introducing a Mycelium Gift Pack wrapped in biodegradable mushroom packaging. Mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, creates a durable and sustainable packaging alternative for the upcoming holiday season. This fully bio-contributing material is also biodegradable, recyclable and compostable.

The gift set includes a full-sized bottle of Seedlip Spice 94 (an aromatic non-alcoholic spirit), a highball glass made from 100% recycled material and a thyme seeded neck tag. The tag includes instructions to plant and grow your own herbs using the biodegradable mushroom box as a planter. Seedlip has partnered with the Magical Mushroom Company, a U.K.-based production plant specializing in manufacturing mycelium-based packaging and insulation, to bring the project to life. Presale for the set began on October 22 and is available now on Seedlip’s website. 

Related: Entrepreneur sells mushroom suits that decompose your body after death

“We are committed to celebrating and protecting the natural world and our mushroom-based gift set progresses both our support of sustainable packaging as well as championing nature’s ability to solve society’s challenges,” said Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip. “Mushrooms are nature’s recycling system and we’re very proud to be working with them.” Seedlip Spice 94, featured in the gift set, is an aromatic blend of Jamaican allspice berries, grapefruit, lemon and cardamom that gets its earthy bitterness from oak and cascarilla tree barks. Seedlip offers beverage recipes on its website that incorporate the non-alcoholic spirit.

The mycelium used to make the gift box paper plays a critical role in nature by breaking down debris on the forest floor. Seedlip’s packaging can mimic this process as a compostable material in your compost bin. This helps make mycelium a great alternative to plastic packaging. According to Seedlip, the Magical Mushroom packaging is just as strong as conventional plastic foams but doesn’t contribute to landfill or ocean pollution.

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Images via Seedlip

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Serif + Sero modular furniture is made of 100% upcycled cardboard

Australia-based design studio SODO – SOPA has introduced a furniture set made completely out of upcycled cardboard that is also modular and customizable. The series, called Serif + Sero, helps promote waste repurposing and consumer awareness for a more sustainable future.

The furniture set features a series of coffee tables that can be modified to become stackable storage units, the studio’s way of introducing flexibility in function and form. Pieces are available in square or circular versions and assembled through interactive cuts, scores, flips and folds to lock into place. Assembly ranges in difficulty depending on the set.

Related: Parent shares process of making life-size board game from cardboard

Inspired by the studio’s award-winning project where it constructed a 100% upcycled cardboard installation using 1,800 hand-cut modules sourced from waste, Serif + Sero advocates for inclusive upcycling. The previous project allowed the public to shape and mold cardboard themselves to create unique designs, proving that every type of household has the ability to reduce its waste in imaginative ways and contribute toward a circular economy.

A common shipping material often used by electronic companies to protect products, thick, corrugated cardboard boxes don’t get recycled nearly as much as they should due to size and weight. Especially among average households, these boxes are routinely discarded as waste in landfills, or they end up in the oceans. Even worse, as certain types of cardboard decompose, they can generate methane, a greenhouse gas that pollutes the environment.

SODO – SOPA’s designs are minimal and practical, and the ability for the furnishings to convert into modular, stackable storage units provide an additional perk. Once stacked, storage towers may be used inside closets or as a decorative bookshelf in the home, and the neutral, organic color is attractive in a range of décor themes. In an effort to get the community to embrace the power and accessibility of upcycling in everyday life, the studio plans to release the design as an open-source project available to the public after prototyping additional designs with fabricators.

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Images via SODO – SOPA

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YY Nation shoes are made from bamboo, algae, pineapple and sugarcane

Tens of thousands of years ago, early hunter-gatherers braved frozen landscapes to go in search of food. And on their feet, they weren’t wearing nylon, plastic or synthetic materials. They were wearing natural materials. YY Nation does the exact same thing with its incredible new footwear collection. These shoes are made with pineapple husk, bamboo, sugarcane, algae and Merino wool. Why would you need nylon and plastic when there are durable, natural materials like that available? YY Nation says you don’t.

Imagine a beautiful beach in Hawaii. A man is walking along the sand with his daughter. They can hear birds singing. They can see the breathtaking ocean lapping against the shore. Then they look down … and see plastic waste and old shoes. This is what happened to Jeremy Bank. After that experience, he created YY Nation.

Related: Native Shoes’ Bloom collection is made of repurposed algae

Shoes can be stylish, comfortable and still good for the environment; YY Nation is the proof. After launching on Kickstarter, YY Nation began to receive orders worldwide. That makes sense, because YY Nation footwear was created to improve the whole world — in style, of course. These shoes look trendy and fashionable. They are available in a variety of colors, but best of all, they are made with Earth-friendly materials that won’t leave a bunch of waste behind on the beach or anywhere else. The collection includes four styles: loafers, two types of sneakers and high-tops.

Not only do these shoes look great, but they’re also odor-resistant, durable and temperature-regulating, so your feet stay comfortable. YY Nation’s goal is to be the most sustainable shoe in the world. These shoes are made with ocean plastics, recycled rubber, sustainably sourced bamboo, algae bloom and other natural materials. They are held together with an eco-friendly, water-based glue. Even the shoeboxes are made with recycled materials, and the shoe laces are made from recycled ocean plastic.

This is how the world becomes better: one step at a time.

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Images via YY Nation

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Disposable plastics make up this conceptual hydrogen-powered car

Russian design student Nikita Konopatov has unveiled an innovative proposal for an environmentally friendly car with a body made from recyclable plastics. Created as a solution to the worldwide problem of air pollution and the ubiquity of plastics, the design exercise proposes a greener alternative to gas-powered vehicles. In addition to a hydrogen-powered engine, Konopatov has also given his proposed car a futuristic and playful form that looks more like an adorable spaceship than a standard sedan.

Konopatov’s pod-like concept car was created as part of the Volkswagen Group Future Center Europe, a Potsdam, Germany-based initiative for developing mobility concepts of the future. The shape of the proposed fuel-cell vehicle comprises a large cylindrical barrel that would house the driver flanked by two smaller cylindrical barrels in the front and back that roll to move the car.

Related: The Skai hydrogen-powered aircraft produces zero emissions

The designer’s utopian vision goes against the common critiques of hydrogen cars, which have been long dismissed as a viable option due to the expensive and energy-intensive processes to produce pure hydrogen as well as the lack of hydrogen fuel-delivery infrastructure. The vast majority of hydrogen today is produced by the high-carbon process of steam methane reforming. Currently, there are only three major models of hydrogen cars available on the market: the 2015 Toyota Mirai, the Hyundai Next and the Honda Clarity.

“Today, there is a global problem — environmental pollution,” Konopatov said in a email statement to Inhabitat. “Every day we produce and use something that immediately becomes garbage after use. One of the most significant problems is single — use plastic and exhaust gases. Disposable plastic can be recycled and used as a material for the car body. A car with a hydrogen engine can reduce the amount of exhaust gases. The exhaust of a hydrogen-powered car is environmentally friendly. Electric vehicles do not pollute the air, but the production of electric vehicles pollutes the environment, which is mainly due to the energy-intensive production of batteries.”

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