fashion Pineapple Leather So, what is the solution? Considering that, yes, vegan leather is kinder to animals, Piñatex was developed by Spanish designbut can still be incredibly harmful to the er, Carmen Hijosa; founder and CEO of environment, and of course to humans, socially-conscious textile company Ananas as a result? Well, not all is lost, because Anam. It has the typical “leather” texture fortunately, there is light at the we all know and love, but is also end of the tunnel. With growing Fur is probably created purely from the fruit’s demands for ethical fashion, the fashion waste plant fibres, which means and increased awareness, that it is not only more cost-efindustry’s there are now a whole host of fective than animal leather, but it most divisive incredible innovative companies is also environmentally friendly, subject. and bright minds dedicated to durable and biodegradable. the discovery and creation of Piñatex products non-animal and non-toxic alternatives, Waxed Cotton which we can all expect to see in the notLab-made Leather too-distant future. Scientific developments Waxed cotton has been on the scene for Author and former fashion research fellow, in biotechnology, as well as plant-based a good while now, and is currently being Suzanne Lee, coined the term, ‘Biocoubiodegradable solutions, means that future used by many designers as a leather alterture’; the creation of plant-based fibres, generations may experience a totally native. Aesthetically-speaking, it’s remarkproduced by millions of tiny bacteria. different reality than ours with regards to ably similar to patent leather, but unlike Lee is currently the creative director of fashion and its damaging consequences. real leather, it requires minimal care, and is New York-based Modern Meadow Inc., a simple to wash. pioneering team of scientists, engineers, and artists, working to create sustainable materials, and develop cultured animal Muskin products. Lab-made leather Last but certainly not least, muskin essentially involves sourcIt’s not an easy is a 100% biodegradable vegan ing cells from animals, turnfeat to make “leather” alternative, extracted from ing them into sheets, and a clean shift mushroom caps, believe it or not. then fusing those sheets from our usual Because the tanning process is natutogether to create leather. shopping habits... ral, and non-toxic unlike the process involved in producing animal leather, it is much safer to use to make products that will have direct contact with the skin, such as shoe insoles and watch straps. Not only is this material more sustainable, ethical, and safer to use, but it is also softer (much like suede), breathable, and more water repellent than animal leather!
Sparkle & Fade (from Urban Outfitters) Black Vegan Leather Shrunken Biker Jacket £65.00 68
It’s not an easy feat to make a clean shift from our usual shopping habits, to suddenly buying fully vegan, ethically sourced fashion, with zero impacts on the environment – the thought of that task alone seems too overwhelming to undertake. But a simple step in the right direction is at least being aware of the brands that are making strides in bettering themselves, and exploring the ethical collections offered to us by retail giants like ASOS; brands like Matt & Nat, for instance - an eco-friendly company that experiments with recycled materials like rubber and cork across many of their products. The fact is, that with all of the fashion-related technological advancements we’re starting to see, there will come a time when, not only will we never need to use animal skins or fur in the fashion industry, but we will also be able to avoid all environmental repercussions that inevitably come with making the alternatives to these. It’s absolutely crucial that we continue to strive towards making fashion an ethical, sustainable and accountable industry. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2016