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Used balloons become shoe soles
May 1st, 2022
Undo for Tomorrow, a Lisbon, Portugal-based shoe brand, has released the “Nuven” shoe that the company says is completely vegan and made with all recycled and natural materials. Of particular interest are the colorful soles, made from discarded party balloons and tire leftovers. The shoe lining is 100 percent bamboo, which also serves as an […]
Paper technology turns old clothes into new fabrics
April 1st, 2022
Circulose pulp made from shredded clothing. The textile industry is taking a page from the pulp and paper industry. Sweden-based Renewcell has developed a sustainable process that recycles waste textiles into a product called Circulose, whose name is the tip-off that it’s aimed at making fashion circular. The company has restarted a shuttered paper mill […]
New textiles from old scarves
March 1st, 2022
A sample collection of all the deconstructive textile techniques. Material and textile designer Anabel Poh has made an art form of deconstructing scarves and reconstructing them into new designs and patterns. Called Meaningful Deconstruction, Poh currently uses scarves that are left over from the production process by Petit H, a studio founded by Hermès. The […]
From train seat to handbag
September 1st, 2019
Made from reused leather train seats, batches five and six of the Amtrak collection of recycled leather goods include handbags, cardholders, sunglass cases, weekenders, totes, travel kits and backpacks. Photo: People for Urban Progress. Amtrak’s Acela Express trains, which offer comfort and upscale amenities for passengers along the northeast corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C., […]
Airline upcycles old uniforms
November 1st, 2018
Last May, when Delta Airlines introduced new uniforms created by fashion designer Zac Posen for its 64,000 employees, the company had to decide what to do with the old clothing—more than one million pieces of uniforms adding up to 350,000 pounds. Delta found a unique way to give the old uniforms new life: it partnered […]
Supporting marine conservation one product at a time
April 1st, 2018
Every year more than eight million tons of plastic go into the oceans. Animals are threatened by harsh oil spills, garbage and other debris that invades their habitats; the trash is killing off entire ecosystems and species. This is why www.MarineVinylFabric.com is changing the way businesses can help change the world. David Goldman, founder and […]
Recycling and repurposing used fabrics and scraps
July 1st, 2017
About five years ago, Scott Massey, president of Awning Cleaning Industries/APCO Products (and a member of IFAI’s board of directors), decided to expand his business reach in an earth-friendly way. His company has always had an environmental bent, since well-maintained fabrics stay out of landfills longer. Still, even these fabrics eventually need replacing, resulting in […]
UNC Athletics releases sustainability report, highlights efforts with REPREVE
February 11th, 2016
More than 250,000 plastic bottles have been recycled through the 18-month collaboration University of North Carolina Athletics released its sustainability report highlighting environmental efforts throughout campus including a university-wide 12 percent increase in collected recycling materials. Unifi Inc., makers of REPREVE, teamed up with UNC in 2014 to raise awareness among student, faculty, fans and […]
SMART launches second annual Halloween costume contest
October 2nd, 2015
The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) has launched its second annual SMART Upcycled Halloween Costume Contest. Individuals are invited to enter homemade, upcycled Halloween costumes for a chance to win a $100 first prize Amazon gift card. Second and third prize winners will receive a $50 and $25 Amazon gift card, respectively. The […]