At the Hemp Museum to discover the history, traditions, techniques and curiosities of an extraordinary fibre
“I want to dress all in hemp,” said Totò. Those were the times when advertising urged people not to let a precious fiber, Italy’s “green gold,” disappear. This is how Glenda Giampaoli, Director of the Hemp Museum in the municipality of Sant’Anatolia di Narco (Perugia), in Valnerina, takes us to explore the fascinating world of hemp. With her, in this episode of the podcast we learn many curiosities about a plant that has historically been fundamental to the textile industry and discover why Italy, once a world leader in the production of this autarchic fiber, saw a decline at a certain point. You will be surprised by Glenda’s stories about…
The Gentle Revolution of Slow Fiber
In this episode we meet Dario Casalini, founder of Slow Fiber, the project created in collaboration between Slow Food Italy and some virtuous Italian textile companies. Dario tells us about the need for a “gentle revolution” to counter the fast fashion model, in a context in which the economy shifts wealth from many to few without actually creating well-being for humanity. Slow Fiber wants to positively change the paradigm of production, consumption and, therefore, the perception of textiles. Today, in fact, we find ourselves immersed in a consumerist and fast-fashion lifestyle, as Dario states. Slow Fiber uses a series of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to evaluate the companies that join…
Revitalizing Europe’s Green Fabric: The Future of Hemp and Flax (Linen) Production
Amid a growing movement in sustainable practices, Europe’s textile industry is revisiting its roots in hemp and flax (linen) production. These natural fibres offer a blend of environmental and economic benefits, from reducing carbon footprints to reviving local economies. In this article we will explore the resurgence of these fibres across Europe. Historical Significance and Current Landscape Hemp and linen have been present in human civilization for thousands of years, with evidence suggesting linen use dating back as early as 30.000 years ago in Georgia, making it the oldest known textile in human history. In ancient Egypt, linen was so highly valued it even served as a currency and…
After Mylo, the “leather” from mycelium, also Circulose, the textile fiber from recycled cotton, stops
Last year, the company Bolt Threads decided to put Mylo, an innovative “leather” from mycelium, on hold, despite the support of large brands such as Adidas, Kering and Stella McCartney. A couple of weeks ago, Renewcell, the renowned manufacturer of Circulose, had to file for bankruptcy despite significant support and partnerships gained in the industry. The pause of Bolt Threads and the failure of Renewcell, two major players in sustainable fashion, raise questions about the fashion industry’s effectiveness in supporting innovative solutions to reduce environmental impact. Renewcell Renewcell is a Swedish company known for its technology that recycles cotton T-shirts and jeans destined for landfill into a new material, Circulose,…
Is pineapple leaf fabric sustainable?
Pinatex is an innovative fabric created as a sustainable alternative to both mass-produced leather and polluting synthetic materials. It is made from pineapple leaves by Ananas Anam, a UK-based B-corporation. For the SUMAS sustainable fashion management MBA, I prepared a detailed analysis to evaluate the biological and technical life cycle, to understand the advantages and disadvantages compared to the triple bottom line* model and the SDGs to which the material contributes. This article reports the theoretical contribution related to the analysis. Piñatex is composed of 70% pineapple leaves, 20% PLA (Polylactic acid), 5% Bio PU (Polyurethane) and 5% PU (Ananas Aman 2022). PLA (polylactic acid) is a plastic material of…
Denim production in Pakistan: Environmental Impacts, Strategies, and Future Directions
Denim is one of the most popular and ubiquitous fabrics globally, and the fashion industry heavily relies on it. However, the production of denim has a significant environmental impact, from water usage to chemical pollution. Therefore, the need for sustainable denim production has become more pressing as the world moves towards more sustainable practices. In the last Premier Vision Denim fair in Milan we met many Pakistani realities selling denim. This article aims to explore the challenges faced by Pakistan in achieving sustainable denim production and the strategies employed to overcome them. Denim in Pakistan: A Blue Gold Rush Pakistan is the third largest preferred cotton-producing countries* in 2019/2020, after Brazil…
Microfibers and microplastics from textile materials: what are they and how to reduce them?
Thanks to two interesting studies*, reviewing the research on microfibres and microplastics, we try to shed light on a topic more and more preoccupying. The increase in the production of textile fibers in the last 20 years, in particular of synthetic ones, and the discoveries on the effects they have on man and the environment place more and more attention on the subject. Fiber fragments released from clothing and home textiles during washing, drying and use are considered a new source of environmental pollution and a health threat. What are microfibres? What size are they? “Microfibre” is a consolidated term in the textile industry to indicate fibers between 10 and…
Biodesign: the possible future of fashion
We are being urged to reconsider what we eat, how we travel, and what we buy to lessen our collective environmental impact, which is frequently marketed under the term “sustainability.” But shouldn’t sustainability be fundamentally incorporated into how things are designed and made if we’re going to drastically reduce climate impact on the scale necessary to stop climate change? What environmentally friendly way to create houses, clothes, cars, and food? Following nature’s blueprint and incorporating biological systems into the creation of objects, according to a growing community of designers and scientists, will help ensure that they are symbiotic with our planet rather than parasitic or polluting it. Let’s get deep…
What are our clothes made of?
What fibers make up our garments? What are the clothes of Zara, Mango, H&M and other fast fashion brands made of? How much are the clothes we throw away actually reusable and recyclable? About 550 kg of clothes were analyzed in the first ever study on fibers thrown into textile collection containers. Developed by INTEXTER * of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)) and student Beatriz Rodríguez of ESEIAAT **, the study is included in the report Análisis de la recogida de la ropa usada en España (Analysis of the collection of used clothing in Spain)***. Analyzing the composition of the textile products in the bins through an innovative methodology,…
- Companies / Aziende, Environment/Ambiente, Fabrics/Tessuti, Fashion/Moda, Modern slavery / Schiavitù moderna
The impact of leather and tanneries: what we don’t know and who is inside is scared of telling us
When I saw DW’s documentary on the dark side of fashion-luxury, I was sick for several days. It’s a punch in the stomach. I wanted to write about it in an article, but to do it in the best possible way I wanted to involve Francesco Gesualdi who in that documentary tells of a report made on leather and tanneries, hindered in several ways. With the aim of spreading what emerged even to those who do not have the patience to read the report to the end, I asked for his help to highlight the most relevant points, what we need to know: it is too important to be ignored…
