About this episode
In Episode 50 I report back from my recent visit to the Future Fabrics Expo in London. I got to discover what fabrics, fibres, textiles and haberdashery with more sustainable credentials are already on the market. Plus I learnt about some exciting new products and technologies currently in development that offer creative solutions to some of fashion’s biggest issues. I share all this plus my predictions and hopes for garment making fabric going forwards… Support the podcast over on Patreon ! Find out more about the Future Fabrics Expo HERE . The event is organised by The Sustainable Angle HERE . Bananatex make fibres from the Abaca banana plant leaves HERE . See some unprocessed banana plant fibres below: Piñatex is a company doing something similar with pineapple plants HERE . See the manufacturing cycle for these leather-alternative textiles below: Image source: Piñatex Orange Fiber is an Italian company working with Tencel producers Lyocell to make fabrics by combining citrus by-products and wood pulp HERE . The fibre and fabric innovations display: Ecovative are producing leather alternatives using mycelium HERE . See the resultant product below: Image source: Ecovative Fulgar chemically recycle used tyres and other waste products to create fibres similar to those created from virgin fossil fuels HERE . Jess Redgrave explores the potential use of sunflowers in fashion. Find out more HERE . See examples of fabrics dyed using pigments derived from various parts of the plant below: Learn more about the ‘Living Ink’ created from the by-products of algae HERE . Listen to Clare Press’s podcast The Wardrobe Crisis HERE. Three of my favourite episodes include: Ep.150: Liz Ricketts - Waste Colonialism and Dead White Man’s Clothes . Ep.131: Aditi Mayer interviews Alok Vaid-Menon - Degendering Fashion . Ep.104: Adam Minter on Recycling, Reuse and the Second Hand Economy .