Hate fast fashion? You can compost this new line of streetwear clothing

Fast fashion is big business, but it’s also a big polluter, responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions. Approximately 70% of the $3 trillion fashion industry is made up of items made from synthetic or petrochemical products.

While some companies claim to have sustainable clothing lines, there is a very wide variation in what that means. For some, carbon reduction is in the manufacturing, while for others it is in the clothing itself.

The market for plant-based clothing is growing rapidly, as evidenced by companies like Activ activewear, Kent underwear, and startup Unless, which bills itself as “the first streetwear brand to create products that will break down without cause harm at the end of life”. Unlike today’s mostly petroleum-based clothing, you can compost these clothing. All are made from 100% plant-based nutrients like recycled cotton, hemp, plant-based leather, and coconut fiber, according to the company.

“We started the company because we were a group of fashion executives who got tired of the make-take-throw fashion culture,” said Eric Liedtke, CEO of Unless. “Planned obsolescence of fashion is basically based on a petroleum-based or petrochemical feedstock, which means it’s cheap. But what you don’t know is that it creates synthetic materials that are forever materials that never go away.”

Liedtke came from Adidas, so it’s no surprise that Unless includes footwear alongside clothing and accessories.

“Our product starts with the end in mind. That becomes a very easy story to tell consumers, because the clearest thing is, what happens when I’m done using it? It goes harmlessly and becomes food for plants and worms. And that to me is just as important as the quality of the product that you make. It’s the product multiplied by the story,” Liedtke said.

Unless you just have a pop-up retail store in your hometown of Portland, Oregon, plus online sales. Liedtke expects the company to grow along with increasing consumer demand for greener products, and plans to collaborate with other brands as more companies look to combat fashion waste. Unless he’s recently launched a collaboration with Mammut, a 160-year-old Swiss climbing company.

“We did it around International Mountain Day, and I’m happy to say the product sold out in 48 hours,” Liedtke said.

Those collaborations could also help the company moderate its relatively high prices: For example, a “biodegradable hoodie” costs $119 on the company’s website. Some buyers say it’s worth it for the cause.

“I would pay more for sustainable clothing. I think it’s, in part, my contribution to helping the planet, and I think we should all contribute in any way we can,” said Dru Ueltschi, who was shopping at the pop-up. Shop.

Unless it’s backed by Connect Ventures, an investment partnership between Creative Artists Agency and NEA (New Enterprise Associates), and has raised $7.5 million to date.

Source: news.google.com