Ocean plastics a ‘stepping stone’ to next-gen materials for Parley
03/07/2024
It has partnered Sky High Farm Universe for jeans and a jacket - made with banana fibre from Bananatex dyed with wood waste from Nature Coatings (see separate story on this ‘denim’).
From its launch in 2008, Parley focused on seminars, moving into facilitating the collection of ocean-bound plastics, then working with textiles makers such as FENC in Taiwan to provide recycled polyester to brands. One of the most well-known of these collaborations is the Adidas Parley knitted shoe ranges.
Federico Tarditi, head of global partnerships at Parley, told Inside Denim: "For the 'avoid' part of the strategy, we look at company’s whole operations, from products, to events, to their office, to help them to avoid virgin plastic. The second part is we intercept plastic from water and upcycle the product. We offer that traceability and collaborate on clothing, footwear and sunglasses.”
Another example of ‘redesign’ was presented at Future Fabrics Expo in London: a jacket made with a mushroom chitosan from Tomtex, as well as an insulation material made with seeds from the wetlands by Ponda Biobuff. “That’s what we’re looking at more now, we’re looking to implement these next-gen materials into the supply chain of our partners. The plastic is a stepping stone into these new materials, but the development and implementation of these new materials could take five to 10 years.”
At Future Fabrics, Parley also showed a beachwear capsule with Dior.
Mr Tarditi added: “Designers are asked to change but if they don’t have access to the materials it is very difficult. This show is a great showcase of what’s tangible and what’s available now and in the future. It's great for the industry to see these things are possible, they’re available and they’re real. It’s good for people to reimagine a better future. Our approach is about making it desirable to make these changes.”
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