BALTIMORE — February 28, 2023 — Under Armour Inc. today announced it has developed a new testing methodology to help fight fiber shedding at its source and support progress toward the company’s sustainability goal for 75 percent of fabrics in its products to be made of low-shed materials by 2030. Under Armour’s innovative test method offers a simplified process to accurately measure a fabric’s propensity to shed. To support the creation of lower-shed products, the company has begun using the method to test materials and quantify their shed rate early during product development to target high-shed materials for redevelopment or discontinuation before they enter the market. Under Armour is also using the method to filter out new textile candidates with high-shed rates before they enter its product development streams.

As fabric and textiles are produced, worn, and cleaned, they naturally shed fibers. These fiber fragments, also known as microplastics, can enter the air, waterways, and food chains. In high concentrations, they are believed to pollute the environment, disrupt ecosystems, and pose health risks to humans and animals when inhaled through the air or ingested via food and drinking water. According to a study commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the average person ingests as much as five grams of plastic a week — the equivalent weight of a credit card — from fiber shedding that naturally occurs from textiles and other sources of plastic.

Supporting innovations that reduce fiber shedding over time is a priority focus of Under Armour’s sustainability program, through which the company aims to use more sustainable, recyclable materials and more efficient design and production processes in its delivery of high-performing apparel, footwear, and accessories.

“Under Armour is an industry innovator. When we realized the extent of the fiber shed problem during product research, we knew we needed to figure out a way to use our innovation capabilities to do our part to address the issue,” said Jeremy Stangeland, senior manager, Materials Lab for Under Armour. “Our strategy focuses on working to help address the root causes of shedding, starting with the ability to measure it. Through ongoing efforts to redevelop high-shed fabrics to shed less, or avoid them entirely, we are leveraging our skills to positively impact our industry and communities.”

In addition to identifying the shedding property of fabrics, Under Armour is exploring innovative techniques to redevelop high-shed fabrics, such as mechanical finishes and yarn formations that can support reduced shedding. High-shed fabrics, which are often attractive to consumers for their softness, are also traditionally less durable than low-shed fabrics. Given this, the company’s new test method will inform efforts to develop products with an optimal balance of comfort and durability.

“We are committed to holistically addressing sustainability issues such as fiber shedding and have already begun to use our methodology to produce more sustainable products for athletes that feature Under Armour’s signature high-performance attributes,” said Kyle Blakely, senior vice president of Innovation for Under Armour. “We expect to have products that have been improved through this process in market as early as 2024, and we look forward to continuing to inspire athletes with performance-driven innovations that embody our core value to ‘Act Sustainably’ as we track toward our 2030 goal.”

Aliya Rubinstein, project director for the Oceans Program at the Nature Conservancy in California, added: “Synthetic microfiber pollution represents a largely invisible, global conservation threat that is only getting worse. The fashion industry has an opportunity to act now and advance real solutions that measurably address their contribution to the plastics crisis. Under Armour’s investment in efforts to understand and reduce fiber shedding is a critical part of a broader suite of interventions urgently needed for us to collectively move the industry in the right direction.”

Under Armour’s methodology complements existing fiber-shed testing approaches and vacuum filtration technologies, including resources made available by the Microfibre Consortium, a leading textile-industry facilitator of practical solutions to reduce microfiber release, of which Under Armour is a member.

Dr. Kelly Sheridan, research director of The Microfibre Consortium, commented: “The Microfibre Consortium welcomes Under Armour’s commitment to helping address the issue of microfiber shedding. The Microfibre Consortium’s globally aligned test method, released in 2021, is a key pillar of the apparel industry’s response to the problem of fiber shedding, determining the root causes and informing actions that can make a real difference in garment production. As a signatory of The Microfibre 2030 Commitment, Under Armour’s contribution to the wider work is much valued, and it is encouraging that the brand is also exploring complementary ways to assess and address the microfiber problem.”

Under Armour is exploring ways to make its testing methodology available to its industry and expects to explore how the methodology could be utilized by other industries.

Posted February 28, 2023

Source: Under Armour

NUTLEY, N.J. — February 28, 2023 — Modern Meadow, a purpose-driven biotechnology company revolutionizing consumer goods, today announced its Bio-Alloy™ proprietary protein-based technology is coming to the Tory Burch runway as the American fashion brand debuts its first-ever plant-based leather alternative tote, the Ella Bio, an evolution of the iconic Ella tote.

The Tory Burch partnership is the latest for Modern Meadow, which is working to scale the availability of plant-based textiles for the fashion industry through partnerships with renowned suppliers and luxury brands.

“Consumer demand for products that are good for the planet is ever accelerating,” said Catherine Roggero-Lovisi, CEO of Modern Meadow. “Since 2008, the Ella tote has been one of Tory Burch’s most iconic, well-loved handbag styles. Modern Meadow is proud to be a part of its next evolution as a high-performing and bio-based tote consumers can feel confident in.”

The Ella Bio features an outer shell crafted in BioFabbrica Bio-Tex™, a USDA-certified bio-based material powered by Modern Meadow’s proprietary Bio Alloy plant protein, derived from non-GMO soy grown in North America and designed for Tory Burch to deliver a material that is lightweight, durable and made from a high proportion of renewable materials.

“The Ella Bio meets our design, quality, and durability expectations and is made with an innovative new material, BioFabbrica Bio-Tex, which feels and looks like leather but is made from 64-percent USDA-certified bio-based content,” said Jennifer Gootman, global head of sustainability & ESG strategy at Tory Burch. “It is a great example of a growing movement towards ‘next-gen’ materials that take inspiration from nature but are engineered to have a lower environmental impact.”

Modern Meadow’s Bio-Alloy is a proprietary technology application platform that brings a special set of mechanical and thermal properties to materials for a range of applications. Modern Meadow’s technologies drop into existing infrastructures for immediate scalable adoption in textiles, beauty and other industries, a rarity in the biotechnology space.

Posted February 28, 2023

Source: Modern Meadow

MONTREAL — February 20, 2023 — Canadian-based, purpose-driven retailer Frank And Oak announced today its transition to a 100-percent responsible product assortment. The brand’s complete collection now either contains low-impact, cruelty-free, organic, biodegradable, or recycled fibers, or the products are manufactured using industry-leading technologies and processes. Along with this commitment, the brand has released its 2023 Brand Progress Report that outlines its progress and accomplishments in material science, design for circularity, ethical production and increased transparency, carbon neutral delivery, and giving back.

Frank And Oak designs products in accordance with its mission to intentionally reduce its overall impact on the environment and increase circularity. Beginning in 2023, all Frank And Oak products will feature fabrics and/or manufacturing processes that have a lower impact than traditional methods. This includes important initiatives such as eliminating virgin polyester from all products, ensuring all buttons and labels are now made from recycled materials, and designing all denim styles to be more easily recycled.

In order to create products for a circular economy, Frank And Oak has prioritized mono-fiber and bi-fiber fabrications, as they are easier to recycle than multi-fiber fabrications, which now account for less than 30 percent of its collection. Today, Frank And Oak’s entire denim collection is 100-percent Circular denim™. This means that each pair is made using conscious materials, salvaged fibres, and zero rivets. To further this initiative, the brand launched a partnership in March 2022 with Blue Jeans Go Green™, collecting denim in all their stores to be repurposed and recycled. Donated denim is recycled, and given a second life into new materials and products, such as pet bed inserts and thermal insulation.

‘’As a modern lifestyle brand, our role in contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry is long-term, and we are committed to maintaining a leadership position in advancing this cause’’ shared Frank And Oak’s CEO Dustin Jones. ‘’Our goal today is to create desirable, quality clothes that our customers love to wear, but with the most responsible materials and processes available.”

One of Frank And Oak’s biggest differentiators is the design teams’ efforts towards more eco-conscious materials and processes. To date, the brand has pioneered the use of unique sustainable fibers, such as traceable Yak Wool, Seawool®, SeaCell™, and Kapok.

• Yak Wool is a naturally-dyed and ethical fibre sourced from Himalayan yak, which is as soft as cashmere and warmer than Merino wool.
• Seawool is made from a blend of recycled polyester and upcycled oyster shells;
• SeaCell is derived from a blend of naturally-derived seaweed;
• Kapok is a vegan, biodegradable, and recyclable natural cellulose fiber found in the 
dried fruit of the kapok tree.

Even the brand’s tags are made from biodegradable sugarcane paper and printed using soy-based inks. All of these materials deliver on durability and design, thus bridging the gap between sustainability and fashion.

The year 2023 marks a new era of commitment and transparency for Frank And Oak. The brand is dedicated to making a positive, long-term impact on the fashion industry by investing in material science, circular designs and giving customers more sustainable options for their wardrobe.

As part of its mission, the brand also wants to encourage customers to join them in making a difference by choosing products that are better for people and the planet. This progress announcement is a major milestone in the brand’s journey as a leader in responsible fashion and Frank And Oak hopes to see continued progress toward sustainable apparel design and production across the industry.

Posted: February 27, 2023

Source: Frank And Oak