What Exactly Is a Sustainable Fabric? 8 Experts Spill the Tea
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Courtesy of Still Here; Courtesy of Apparis; Courtesy of Abacaxi; Courtesy of La Femme Apéro; Courtesy of Still Here; Courtesy of LotiEvery once in a while, I’ll be in a state of anxiety about the ecological impacts of the fashion industry. Maybe I’ve found out that a TikToker spent an egregious amount of money for a fast-fashion shopping haul, or I’ve read a recent article about how the majority of clothing donated to thrift stores is exported to countries in Africa and South America where it will end up in landfills and never decompose.
Regardless of what's riled up my anxiety around the state of the existential climate crisis, I know I’m not the only one who has felt this way at one point or another. Of course, I must preface this by saying that it’s complicated to love fashion and still worry about the planet (I'm a fashion editor, so I should know). That being said, I do believe that plenty of people aspire to create and consume fashion more mindfully.
On the individual level, there are so many ways to adopt more sustainable practices to your wardrobe (i.e., second-hand shopping, buying from sustainable brands, and investing in pieces that will last you longer). Beyond that, to truly combat the ecological footprint of the fashion industry, we have to think about textile production. In the fashion industry, producing fabrics accounts for 10% of the total carbon footprint of the entire world (above maritime shipping and flight combined) and 20% of the world’s clean water waste. That’s not something one person can solve by changing their shopping habits; it will take a collective reckoning, more global regulations, and a shift in the way we produce, consume and recycle clothing.
And if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by how much work there is to do to change this, don’t fret because there is an abundance of fashion brands that have begun to change the way we view sustainable textile production. Ahead, we’ve spoken to eight founders who have recognized issues in textile production and are using their brands to change the industry.
From making corn-based biodegradable faux furs to using 3D printers to make sustainable knitwear, these founders are changing the world, one scrap of fabric at a time.
Apparis is a New York City–based sustainable lifestyle and fashion brand founded by the French duo Lauren Nouchi and Amelie Brick. The contemporary brand first made waves in the fashion industry at its founding in 2016 with its vegan faux-fur coats. The brand since then has expanded into ready-to-wear and even home décor that champions recycled fabrics. The brand is leading the forefront in innovating new sustainable alternative textiles, so we spoke with co-founder and creative director of Apparis, Lauren Nouchi herself, on why revolutionizing how we make clothes is a part of the brand’s larger mission.
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Courtesy of Lauren NouchiHow did you break into the fashion industry, and what compelled you to found Apparis?
Lauren Nouchi: Since a young age, I have always shown interest in the fashion industry, and my family has a background working in retail. Before Apparis, I worked for luxury retail companies, including Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent, and continued developing my passion for products and overall for the industry. While working at these fashion houses, I quickly understood that I wanted to create a brand that would challenge the industry regarding vegan and sustainable fashion.
What's one fact about textile production's impact on the environment that you think surprises most consumers?
LN: Textile production accounts for one-fifth of the world's industrial water pollution. That is on top of the amount of waste that is produced. The waste and pollution negatively impact our environment, which has social and societal effects. Textile production is a significant contributor to the greenhouse emissions generated by the industry, up to 71%, and fashion accounts for 4–10% of human-made emissions.
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Courtesy of ApparisWith your expertise, how would you define what a sustainable fabric is?
LN: Fabric cannot be sustainable just because it is made with more eco-friendly fibers, like organic cotton, or because it is “recycled.” A genuinely sustainable material is produced consciously; consideration is given to every stage of production. And there’s an active effort to reduce environmental impact—like how much water is being used or if the cultivating and harvesting of natural fibers is degrading the soil in the area.
Why is revolutionizing the way we produce textiles important?
LN: Textiles are a huge part of our lives! Textiles are vital to so many industries, not just fashion. Millions of tons of textiles are produced every year, and a large part of that ends up in our landfills. The methods we are taking now to reduce our impact cannot keep up with the scale and speed of production. While it’s excellent, the industry has moved towards being “green,” we need to revolutionize our methods now to feel a positive change.
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Courtesy of ApparisWhat are your hopes for the future of sustainability in fashion? And what role do you hope Apparis plays in shaping the industry’s impact on the environment?
LN: That the fashion industry comes to a consensus on where we stand with genuine leather and fur. We believe that the future of fashion is vegan, so it is vital that sustainable products become more attainable. We want to encourage others in the industry that making these changes is possible by offering sustainable products at an affordable price point while continuing to work on reducing our impact. One of our primary goals is to remove all virgin plastics completely and, eventually, all synthetics from our collections and make the switch to bio-based materials. Still, the truth is that we cannot do that alone. We need the larger industry’s support and interest in bio-based alternatives so they become more accessible and widely adopted.
Leftover textiles happen to be one of the biggest contributors to the fashion industry’s ecological footprint, and the ready-to-wear fashion brand Loti is trying to mitigate that impact. Founded by the Peruvian-born (now Los Angles–based) female founder, Lottie Bertello, in 2021, the brand champions using upcycled fabrics and ethical production practices in every aspect of their production process. The brand has given a whole new meaning to the term “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure,” with its eye-catching ways of turning discarded fabrics into stunning pieces. Ahead, you’ll hear from Lottie Bertello herself on the importance of mitigating textile waste, what materials you should avoid buying, and much more.
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Courtesy of Lottie BertelloHow did you break into the fashion industry, and what compelled you to found Loti?
Lottie Bertello: I'm one of those people who's always known they wanted to work in fashion, so I went to school for fashion and textile design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles, where I worked as a designer at Vince, & Other Stories and Paige. During quarantine, I had enough time and space to think about how I wanted to structure my career to be more aligned with issues I care about. By constantly going to second-hand shops for work, I became hyper-aware of the massive volumes of clothing being thrown away. This led me to look into upcycling to directly fight textile waste, which is the purpose of Loti at its core.
What's one fact about textile production's impact on the environment that you think surprises most consumers?
LB: I think consumers are always surprised when they learn how extensive the supply chain is regarding how many people are involved in making an item. The term “handmade” gets thrown around a lot when it comes to clothes, and most if not all garments are technically made by hand. We currently don't have machines that can operate themselves, so all clothing—no matter what brand is making it—is somewhat handmade. Once people learn this information, it's easier to understand that brands can only sell clothing at low prices by cutting corners regarding worker wages and worker rights, which both the sustainable and ethical movements are trying to shed light on.
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Courtesy of LotiWhy is revolutionizing the way we produce textiles important?
LB: As the fashion industry exponentially grows, the textile industry follows. The demand to create items for massive, fast fashion brands has skyrocketed in the last 5 years; textile factories produce more cheap, synthetic fabrics to meet these demands. In the previous 20 years, the amount of clothing the average American throws away per year has doubled, which directly correlates to the rise of these fast fashion giants. It's not just the environment that suffers from so much waste being produced, but the people who make them are under a lot more pressure to perform under the already dire conditions they are already working under. It's a vicious cycle that thrives under capitalism.
With your expertise, how would you define what a sustainable fabric is?
LB: To me, a sustainable fabric is ethically made, does not abuse our nonrenewable natural resources, and has a low impact at the end of its life. Natural fiber or eco-friendly textiles are sumptuous in theory, but if the people making them are being exploited, what's the point in advocating for them?
At some point, you may have unknowingly spotted the work of RVN. The brand first blew up with the fashion set in 2013 when Beyoncé was spotted donning a pair of the brand’s infamous knitted leggings at the Super Bowl. You may not have known about this brand because after finding such a viral success early on, founder and designer Ted Kim took a hiatus to retool the brand. And in 2021, he relaunched RVN as an expansion beyond activewear into luxury ready-to-wear pieces. But what makes this brand truly special is in the stitching. Every piece (and we mean every single one) is made from recycled yarn woven by the equivalent of 3D printers. RVN’s fusion of sustainability, technology, and knitwear is changing the industry one garment at a time. Ahead, we spoke with the founder about his work, the importance of sustainable garment production, and what role technology plays in cutting the ecological impacts of the fashion industry.
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Courtesy of Ted KimHow did you break into the fashion industry, and what compelled you to found RVN?
Ted Kim: I was discovered by Donna Karan when I was a student at Parsons. I started working for her part-time while still attending Parsons and transitioned into full-time after graduation. After working for two quintessential American luxury sportswear brands (Donna Karen and Michael Kors), I was compelled to carry on a torch and start a brand that brings American luxury sportswear to the next generation, and thus RVN was born. RVN is an Acronym for revolutions. For me, the United States is the land of revolution, innovations, and dreams, and through RVN, I want to bring that to life through sustainably sourced tech-forward pieces all made from knitwear.
What's one fact about textile production's impact on the environment that you think surprises most consumers?
TK: Whenever we think about the impact on the environment, we automatically think of air pollution. However, what surprises most the customers is that the textile industry has one of the most detrimental effects on the environment through water pollution via dyeing and finishing products, toxic gas emissions, and waste in landfills. This real issue needs to be acknowledged, and sustainable principles need to be implemented throughout all stages, from design to production, all the way to the consumer.
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Courtesy of RVNWith your expertise, how would you define what a sustainable fabric is?
TK: Sustainable fabric, in our case, yarn, is either made of recycled materials or comes from eco-friendly resources, like sustainably grown fiber crops. How yarn is knitted and becomes a garment also defines sustainability, which is why at RVN, we’re championing the use of technology to eliminate textile waste.
Why is revolutionizing the way we produce textiles important?
TK: The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter globally, just after the oil industry. What’s more, 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year. And the environmental damage is increasing as the industry grows, so it’s more imperative than ever for fashion brands to step into the future.
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Courtesy of RVNWhat are your hopes for the future of sustainability in fashion? And what role do you hope RVN plays in shaping the industry’s impact on the environment?
TK: We hope to become a role model and leader of sustainable fashion through our constant sourcing of sustainable materials in every facet of garment manufacturing—from raw materials all the way to packaging. And through our innovative garment manufacturing process, we reduce waste using 3D knitting technology. We want everyone to join in on the revolution, and if we can help make it easier for other brands to adopt more sustainable production practices. That’s what makes this work meaningful.
How we shop compared to previous generations has altered dramatically, and with that, so has how we produce clothing. Before the ’80s, most clothing was made often by artisans and on a seasonal basis; in many ways, the shift to weekly drops has diminished the value and art of well-made clothing. But the Brooklyn-based brand Abacaxi is trying to bring that back. Woven into the bedrock of this brand is the championing of South Asian textile techniques, ethical fabric dying practices, and the sourcing of sustainable materials that create ready-to-wear pieces that speak to the richness of the founder’s heritage and the beauty of producing clothing mindfully. These reasons (and many more) compelled us to speak with the founder and designer behind the brand, and ahead, you’ll hear from Sheena Sood herself about her dedication to championing sustainability one piece at a time.
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Courtesy of Sheena SoodHow did you break into the fashion industry, and what compelled you to found Abacaxi?
Sheena Sood: I started Abacaxi because I wanted to work with so many different traditional Indian handmade and handloom textile techniques, many of which are at risk of disappearing into contemporary fashion and back into our everyday. I was always fascinated by the breadth of different embroideries, types of weaves, and intricate forms of beading that were possible in India, and it remains one of the main points of inspiration in my work today. There are so many regional and local heritage processes that I want to explore; even after designing several collections over the years now, I feel I am just getting started and scratching the surface. The kaleidoscope of possibilities there is so rich.
What’s one fact about textile production’s impact on the environment that you think surprises most consumers?
SS: Actually, I often like to mention beyond the impact of textile production on the environment because we don’t think as much about a textile’s effect on our own body. Just as it matters what we eat and put in our bodies, the energy and quality of the fabric we put around our bodies make a difference to our health and outlook.
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Courtesy of AbacaxiWith your expertise, how would you define what a sustainable fabric is?
SS: I would say that a sustainable fabric is made without toxic chemical waste and when all of the makers have been paid and treated fairly.
Why is revolutionizing the way we produce textiles important?
SS: The amount of waste and toxins caused by textile production is so significant, and given the current state of the climate crisis, it is critical to change the way things are being done. There are many more sustainable and indigenous ways of creating and making that can be incorporated into our textile productions.
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Courtesy of AbacaxiWhat are your hopes for the future of sustainability in fashion? And what role do you hope abacaxi plays in shaping the industry’s impact on the environment?
SS: I’d love to continue sharing and creating more awareness around heritage textiles from India and from different regions around the world. The wealth of possibilities in terms of designing within these ethical parameters is so exciting to me, so I hope to continue to be able to create in this way and keep expanding the brand, the scale, and the impact of what we are doing within the industry.
Combating textile waste as a fashion brand comes from deciding off the bat you’re not going to add to the problem, and that’s the decision the French duo behind La Femme Apéro made. Sarah Lequimener and Léa Enderlin co-founded the New York City–based sustainable label in 2019 to create timeless pieces that not only transcend trends but were made with no newly produced textiles fabrics. Each garment is made in a female-owned factory in Istanbul, Turkey, that ensures a living wage, using GRS-certified recycled materials in sizes XS–3XL. It takes true vision to create a sustainable size-inclusive capsule label. Ahead, we spoke with both founders about what compelled them to start the brand and the importance of innovation in the long term.
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Courtesy of Sarah Lequimener and Léa EnderlinHow did you break into the fashion industry, and what compelled you to found La Femme Apéro?
Sarah Lequimener: Styling for magazines and campaigns has always been a dream for me, so I studied fashion and worked for a few years in Paris before traveling to NYC. I was the first assistant of one of the best stylists in NYC, Brian Molloy, and worked with prestigious brands for several years.
Léa Enderlin: I’ve worked as a designer for over a decade, first in Paris and then in L.A. and New York. I’ve learned a lot about sourcing and manufacturing during those years and was shocked by the production practices, work conditions, and waste that I witnessed at some of the companies I worked for. Sarah and I are best friends, and after work, we would meet for an “apéro,” the French equivalent of happy hour. We’ve always wanted to work for ourselves. We decided to build a brand intentionally—focusing on ethics and eco-responsibility, an accessible but fair price point, flattering cuts for everybody, and style rather than trend-driven.
What's one fact about textile production’s impact on the environment that you think surprises most consumers?
SL: We hear a lot that the textile industry is highly polluting, but to us, there is a fact that truly puts it into perspective and surprises (or shocks) our customers when we mention it. It’s the fact that the textile industry is responsible for more global carbon emissions in a year than all the international flights and maritime shipping combined!
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Courtesy of La Femme ApéroWith your expertise, how would you define what a sustainable fabric is?
LE: To us, a sustainable fabric is a fabric that is intentionally sourced with limiting waste and pollution in mind. If made of synthetic fibers, they should be recycled and recyclable. If made from natural or regenerated natural fibers, there should be transparency about the environmental impact of making the fabric and concrete steps taken to reduce it. Upcycling and using materials created out of waste is a great option, and it’s what we are moving towards for next summer.
SL: The dream would be to work with only circular fabrics. This implies that no waste is created—all materials are either infinitely recyclable or biodegradable. The idea of circularity is fascinating; it’s something that we should all be working toward. Unfortunately, this is not yet a reality beyond small pilot projects, but it could be in the future. In the meantime, we all have to take an intentional approach to textile production and educate ourselves and our customers.
Why is revolutionizing the way we produce textiles important?
LE: There are so many different battles to fight regarding waste in the fashion industry, but we have to keep in mind that if we start at the core of the issue (fibers and how they are made), we can achieve very impactful results. There is not only one way to solve the problem of sustainability for textiles. Each fiber has a different impact, and trade-offs are inevitable. Still, ultimately, we must restructure the whole industry because textile production affects the environment, wildlife, and entire communities (through water pollution, energy usage, air pollution, and deforestation) at such an enormous scale that we can’t afford to look away.
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Courtesy of La Femme ApéroWhat are your hopes for the future of sustainability in fashion? And what role do you hope La Femme Apéro plays in shaping the industry’s impact on the environment?
LE: We really hope big corporations and luxury houses will continue to strive toward sustainable practices (for some) or invest in developing innovative fibers to limit toxic waste and embrace change towards safer work conditions. Some solutions already exist, and it is imperative for big companies to put their money where their mouth is and to start utilizing all available options until sustainable practices are the industry standard. As for La Femme Apéro, we think an open dialogue is essential to educate consumers because they are a massive force for change! We will keep talking openly about our process and our point of view on sustainability both to our customers and to our community.
If you’ve made it to this point, you’ve hopefully come to the realization that some of the worst fabrics for the environment are non-biodegradable (we’re looking at polyester and acrylic). But there is also a slew of other materials that use an extreme amount of resources to produce the textile: Nylon uses crude oil, rayon uses toxic chemicals, and most polyurethane fabrics (known as vegan leather) are made from plastic and crude oil. But possibly the most surprising material that has the most significant impact on the environment is denim. A typical pair of jeans uses the same amount of water that one person drinks in 13 years—and we’re not even talking about the toxic dyes used to get that signature hue.
Making sustainable denim is a challenge in and of itself, but it’s something that the denim brand, Still Here aims to do. Co-founded by Sonia Mosseri and Maurice Mosseri, the brand champions cutting the impact of textile production down, and they’ve created a closed-loop production line that’s changing the way we think about denim. Ahead, you’ll hear from the couple about the importance of sustainable denim.
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Courtesy of Sonia Mosseri and Maurice Mosseri taken by Sean DavidsonHow did you break into the fashion industry, and what compelled you to found Still Here Denim?
Sonia Mosseri: My dad immigrated to the USA from Egypt when he was young. His parents gave him a few dollars to buy jeans that would last him many years—he bought Levi's that did, in fact, last him many years. When he got older and had kids, he gave those jeans to me: filled with patches sewn by my grandmother and ink stains from College. Those jeans began my love for vintage jeans, and I began collecting them. After College, I started to paint stripes on these jeans and got some attention online. I was eventually invited to the Capsule show in NYC to paint on vintage jeans, and by the end of the three days, I had over 150+ interesting boutiques and retailers who wanted to carry the product.
A week later, Barney's emailed us for line sheets. That was sort of our aha moment, where we decided to take the year and dive into launching a denim brand based on what we felt was missing from the market. One year later, we responded to the email and were able to launch our first line with Barney's New York. Later that year, we launched with Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, and others. It's been a fun journey ever since.
What's one fact about textile production's impact on the environment that you think surprises most consumers?
SM: People don't recognize the actual life-cycle of clothing. Where does it go after you get rid of it? Fast fashion has impacted our relationship with clothing and how much extra clothing is actually in the world right now. There is such an incredible amount of waste that's shipped off to other countries from the U.S. These countries often don't have the capability to sort or upcycle the volume being imported. So much of that waste just end up in landfills, and it's heartbreaking.
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Courtesy of Still Here taken by Clement PascalWith your expertise, how would you define what a sustainable fabric is?
SM: I’m still learning, but I think using materials that aren't harmful to the earth in production or post-production makes something sustainable. Unfortunately, it's challenging to make denim sustainably, but there are ways to control or minimize the bad. Working with upcycled biodegradable materials is a great step in the right direction. Our Bone jeans are the most eco-conscious of our line. They are made with an astonishing fabric from the New Denim Project, which is just that: 80% upcycled denim and 20% Organic Cotton.
Why is revolutionizing the way we produce textiles important?
Maurice Mosseri: Textiles production is a multi-billion dollar industry. It's never going away. I think we can collectively make a difference by shifting our values around clothing. For starters, the life cycle of a garment should be much longer than we are now used to. This will naturally slow fash-fashion purchasing and, of course, production at the textile level. Spending more money on well-made garments will benefit everyone in the long run because they'll last longer and save the planet and your wallet long-term. And if that garment is made of biodegradable materials, they can dispose of it knowing it's not toxic to our earth. These principles are not yet well taught or understood. If we don't actively work to revolutionize the industries hurting our environment, we are doing ourselves a disservice: constantly consuming cheaply made, poor quality products and negatively impacting the environment we live in, which lowers our quality of life.
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Courtesy of Still Here taken by Clement Pascal