Every year 70 million barrels of petrol are used to produce polyester, and a similar number of trees are cut down to produce synthetic fabrics such as Viscose. To combat this industry’s impact many Portuguese entrepreneurs and producers invest in natural fibers and take advantage of alternative materials such as apple peels, pineapples and carob.
In the Atacama Desert in Chile. On the beaches of Accra in Ghana. Tons of old clothes pile up, giving shape to an ecological catastrophe that consumerism continues to feed.
“This is what we are all looking at, all the time we are burning it, but it’s too much for us. It’s giving us sickness… fever, headaches”
Natural paradises around the world are now becoming open-air cemeteries for textiles and plastics
“Humanity is treating our planet like a garbage dump.We are trashing our only home. “
Among the chaos of buying and throwing away, inspiring examples are born. The future demands recycling.
“They are the jeans that I tear apart and recreate them into new pieces. This is a collection I made just with old metal objects, such as old faucets.”
It requires fibers that are more environmentally friendly.
“This is 100% carob, so it is waterproof, and much like rubber it has a slight elasticity.”
It requires creativity as a source for reinvention.
“We can wear it like a shawl, we can wear it as a coat, we can wear it over our heads.”
The European Commission states that 70% of carbon emissions result from the production of fabrics. Polyester currently accounts for tens of millions of barrels of oil, viscose and lyocell account for millions of trees.
For decades, Laila has been searching for alternatives.
“I’m a big fan of Bamboo as it is a plant that grows very quickly, it doesn’t require anything besides water, there are no pesticides, there are no fertilizers, there is nothing, only water. Bamboo is also antibacterial. So we can use the piece for a longer time.”
Bamboo, cork, coffee beans or eucalyptus pulp, environmentally friendly biodegradable natural fabrics.
“Fashion is unfortunately the most polluting industry in the world, and we have to change that.”
It is almost like taking it from the fruit bowl to the wardrobe, in a world where the industry needs to reinvent itself to combat waste and pollution. Don’t forget that when eating an apple, opening a coconut or a pineapple, the leaves and skins can make true art works.
While fighting for the sustainability of fashion, Marita helps those in need, as is the case for the women who manufacture this biomaterial, 100% coconut fiber.
We always have a product from Malai, as the company helps poorly treated women in India, and this company also provides great social support.”
In the fight against waste Patrícia was inspired by her desire not to throw anything to waste,
“This was a repurposing of leather.”