The Variant mask is designed to protect without sacrificing comfort and breathability. We’ve engineered the double-layered VL-M2 mask to be breathable and also shaped it away from the face for optimal comfort.
Knit with REPREVE®, a 100% US sourced yarn made recycled from water bottles, the masks wick moisture from the face to regulate heat and provide comfort. This feature makes our masks perfect for all-day wear, outdoor activities, or exercise.
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Together with our U.S. manufacturing partners, we are knitting more than 1,700 masks a day. For every mask sold at cost, we will donate one to a frontline worker. All proceeds will go towards purchasing more materials and to keep production running.
Variant’s digital manufacturing framework allows us to provide free automatic manufacturing instructions to industrial knitting machines throughout the country. Our vision enables hyper-local manufacturing wherever knitwear manufacturers are located.
We are currently seeking additional partnerships to help fund production.
Garrett Gerson, CEO (garrettg@variant.group)
Neil Gupta, CTO (neilg@variant.group)
]]>Taking part in the in-store panel discussion were The Renewal Workshop cofounder Nicole Bassett, COS Global Head of Sustainability Nopor Stuart, sustainable lifestyle influencer Jenny Ong, and moderator Kat Collings, editor-in-chief of Who What Wear.
Bassett, who worked in the fashion industry for 15 years at brands such as Patagonia and Prana, finding more sustainable ways to make clothes, said she co-founded The Renewal Workshop to enable true circularity in fashion.
“I realized that even if we make everything in the world sustainable, we are still just making more stuff, and thought there was a lot of opportunity to innovative in the circular economy. So the idea came out of how can we help brands move out of a linear model of making and selling to a circular one of using products over and over again. And, how to engage consumers to want to increase the longevity of their clothes,” she said.
Above: Shoppers at COS Century City check out the Restore Collection. Courtesy of COS.
The Renewal Workshop builds “impact data” into its business model to show the difference made by saving damaged products, thereby cutting down on the energy and carbon spent to produce new ones. “Every time we renew a piece, this ‘lifecycle data’ helps inform customers of the impact it’s making,” explained Bassett.
The company’s team of repairers can fix everything from a broken stitch to old or missing buttons or zippers. Often the results are so like-new that it’s hard to tell what’s actually been repaired.
Ong said her clothes-buying strategy includes choosing pieces that she knows she can wear on multiple occasions, and when she tires of a piece, she will alter it or have it customized with embroidery to make it feel new again.
Stuart pointed out that COS’ timeless designs lend themselves to longevity, such as the 10-year-old coat she was wearing. Both she and Bassett stressed the importance of proper garment care to extend the life of clothes.
Above: Nicole Bassett and Jenny Ong. Courtesy of COS.
Said Stuart, “Brands put care labels in clothes for a reason. A lot of people don’t know that the washing machine symbol with the line under it means ‘gentle wash cycle,’ especially for knits. My advice is don’t wash it–spot clean it, air dry it, or use refresher spray. Literally, to stop washing your knitwear is the best thing you can do."
When it comes to spending, Bassett said, “Vote with your wallet, take micro action. It’s more than theory, it’s what’s changing the world right now. When I first started working in sustainability there were just a handful of companies who cared and invested in it. Now we are starting to understand our impact and it’s because all of us as people have asked for something different and have decided to put our dollars towards it.”
One of the most commonly asked questions is still, “What does ‘sustainably sourced’ mean?” when it comes to clothing. Stuart defined it as such: “Something that is recycled or organic, or a third party has verified it has had a lesser impact on the environment. That could be the Better Cotton Initiative or the Responsible Wool Standard. We as brands can choose to buy those fibers versus the conventional ones.”
Above: Jenny Ong, Kat Collings, Nicole Bassett and Nopor Stuart. Courtesy of COS.
The Swedish H&M Group, which owns COS, may produce a lot of clothing, but is also leading the change for more sustainable manufacturing. It has already met its 2020 goal to use 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton, including organic cotton for its entire denim range.
Its 2030 goal is to use all sustainably sourced fibers. Its 2040 goal is more ambitious: to become “climate positive” which means to give back more than they consume in the value chain, including teaching customers how to care for and keep their garments longer and have lesser impact on the climate
“It’s becoming the norm as people like Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, whom we’re very proud of, change conceptions of what a customer wants. It’s also a challenge because sustainable is a very subjective word and a lot of brands and people have their own version of it, so it can be confusing. It relies on the customer to do a little research, too.”
We hope this bit of news inspires you to do more, buy less and buy smarter. Please keep following us to learn more about what other fashion and technology innovators are doing to move forward into the new decade.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
DATA MEETS DERMATOLOGY
In other news, a new DTC skincare brand called Atolla, founded at MIT, received a patent for the process it uses to analyze customer's skin and create customized serums. Atolla leverages machine learning to deliver personalized skincare products using an individual's actual skin data. Launched in August 2019, it's a monthly $45 subscription service that includes a personalized serum, skin analysis kit and tracking via its mobile app. The personalizes serum combats a user's specific skin issues and concerns and as their skin changes over time, the serum will also adapt. The 10-minute skin analysis is done with strips that measure a customer's pH, oil and moisture levels. Customer's enter the data into the app to receive an instant analysis of their skin each month, no mail-in's required. The personalized products are then made fresh each month, using fewer preservatives and no parabens, phalates or sulfates.
A FUTURIST'S TAKE ON AI, AR & VR
One of our favorite fashion-tech writer, Vogue Business Innovation Editor Maghan McDowell, last week interviewed our friend and mentor, XPrize Foundation founder Peter Diamandis, who just released a new book, "The Future is Faster Than You Think." Among the insights he shared with Maghan, Diamandis predicts that the future of shopping will be “always on," thanks to ubiquitous augmented reality (AR). He also thinks that artificial intelligence (AI) is in position to streamline and personalize the process, while virtual reality (VR) shopping can be successful if it creates a more social experience. Variant's recent partnership with Intel to incubate interactive retail experiences at Las Vegas AREA15 mall is one part of that. In addition, Diamandis told Maghan that brands should prepare for far more data collection by asking the right questions and using AI to correlate more details. At Variant, we're putting that into practice by formulating a comprehensive questionnaire for prospective brand partners so we can find mutually beneficial ways to work together. Over time, the data gathered and analyzed by AI will also help us optimize our strengths and recognize where we can also improve upon our customers' experience .
BIO-NYLON MOVES CLOSER TO MARKET
Last but not least, exciting news in raw materials innovation: Genomatica, the San Diego-based clean manufacturing technology company, has produced the world's first renewably-sourced ton of the key ingredient for nylon-6. What does that mean exactly? Nylon is the world's first totally synthetic fiber to be made into consumer products such as apparel and carpet. It's a huge part of the manufacturing supply chain today (over 5 million tons of nylon-6 are produced each year), but its production is responsible for an estimated 60 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, due in part to the fact that it's made with crude oil. Genomatica has developed a bio-based version of the chemical intermediate for nylon-6 by fermenting the sugars found in plants, and has partnered with European nylon giant Aquafil (makers of regenerative ECONYL®) to convert the intermediate into nylon-6 polymer chips and yarn for the commercial market.
“As proven by the success of ECONYL®, consumers and manufacturers look forward to opportunities to play an active role in the circular economy,” said Giulio Bonazzi, Chairman and CEO of Aquafil. “Visionary companies like Aquafil are delighting customers and gaining market share through more sustainable products,” said Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica. “This is another example of Genomatica applying the power of biology to rethink how widely-used chemicals can be made a better way."
As always, thanks for reading and please keep following us to learn more about what innovators are doing to push fashion forward in the new decade.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
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To thrive in the digital age, traditional retailers and malls face a reinvent-or-die reality. Last week, we shared that Intel is collaborating with AREA15, one of the first purpose-built experiential retail and entertainment complexes, opening in Las Vegas this April. AREA15 is tackling this issue by offering live events, immersive experiences and activations, and monumental art installations, employing ground-breaking technology and much more for the retail environment.
Why It’s Important: Research shows that 81 percent of Generation Z prefer to shop in stores, and 73 percent like to discover new products in stores. This offers the opportunity to transform how a new generation of consumers chooses to interact with brands. Retailers and brands can’t afford to miss out on engaging this demographic, which is on track to become the largest generation of consumers by 2020 — responsible for $29 billion to $143 billion in direct spending.
The rise of the “experience economy,” fueled by rapid shifts in technology-enabled design and culture, has resulted in the business-critical need to understand customers — not only Gen Z — and use that data to design a real-time personal experience.
“Today, only top retailers can afford to explore and implement experiential design in their stores. We believe immersive, authentically engaging and inspiring experiences in retail are not only possible, but should be accessible for all. Ecosystem collaboration is in Intel’s DNA. AREA15 will help provide scalable, world-class experiential retail solutions for retailers and brands of all sizes.”
–Joe Jensen, Intel V.P. & G.M of Retail, Banking, Hospitality and Education div.
Intel’s Role: The alliance will initially focus on immersive experiential retail design with the launch of the Intel© Experience Incubation Hub, a multiuse venue for innovation and collaboration located next to AREA15. Pictured in the rendering above, the Experience Incubation Hub will allow retail ecosystem partners — from creatives to technologists — to test new design concepts and leading-edge technologies.
The AREA15 property aims to be the gravitational center for the new experience economy, building a flexible platform where Intel innovation will play an integral role. AREA15’s technical and physical infrastructure will be modular, allowing for innovations coming out of the Experience Incubation Hub to be easily tested for proof of concept and scalability — within AREA15 and beyond — in a variety of forms, from pop-ups to short-term engagements to more permanent installations.
“AREA15 is a radical reimagining of retail, where visitors can expect to be authentically engaged and inspired in an otherworldly setting,” said Winston Fisher, CEO of AREA15 and partner in Fisher Brothers. “Experience design cannot be separated from technology — it is essential that the two are intertwined and co-developed. That’s where our collaboration with Intel comes in. Together, we’re raising the standard of experience design, and developing best practices for combining technology, art and commerce in exciting, unexpected ways.”
Variant is proud to be one of the early collaborators and experiences featured in the Experience Incubation Hub, along with Artist TRAV, Papinee, Pressure Point Creative and ThenWhat Inc. A handful of other technology companies were present at Intel's booth during the NRF Retail's Big Show earlier this month, and below we highlight a few of the innovations that caught our eye.
Using Intel’s cutting-edge computer vision and processors, motion detection, product sensing and recognition, and payment integration with retailer’s mobile application, UST Global, CloudPick and RBS have created a seamless shopping experience, where a customer can pick up items and walk out, paying via mobile device.
Imagine a retail space-as-showroom, where consumers can spend more time experimenting and discovering, where a buying transaction isn't at the forefront. Should someone to choose to make a purchase, technology like this could integrate much more effortlessly and make it a much more organic experience.
Utilizing Intel edge computing, The Looking Glass 8K immersive display demonstrates the world’s first large-format 8K holographic display, with no virtual reality or augmented reality headset required. It allows groups of customers to view and interact seamlessly with true 3D.
With 8K poised to be the new wave in high-definition screens, and AR, VR and ER adding new layers onto what consumers can see, this looks beyond exciting. Imagine being able to create a custom garment in 3D, "trying on" an item and seeing yourself from all angles. Combined with the creativity of designers, a viewing experience like this one has the potential to change not only how people show, but how they participate in the creation of those items. We can't wait to see and share more about what the future will bring.
As always, thanks for reading and please keep following us to learn more about what we're doing to push fashion forward in the new decade.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
]]>To help foster the next wave in immersive experiential retail design, the tech giant will launch the Intel Experience Incubation Hub, a multiuse venue located next to Area 15 for innovation and collaboration in real time. Variant, along with Artist TRAV, Papinee, Pressure Point Creative and ThenWhat Inc., is thrilled to be one the early collaborators featured in hub and previewed at NRF within Intel’s megabooth at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center. Hundreds of retailers, tech executives and media visited over three days, touching our 3D knitwear products and trying out our Customizer. Here, we share our takeaways:
Engage Customers, Foster Collaboration
Retailers were fascinated by the Variant Customizer’s potential to create customer interaction in-store. As our founder and CEO Garrett Gerson (pictured below talking to a German journalist) said, “Our customization platform is not only a retail solution for consumer engagement that allows stores to facilitate collaboration between customers and brands, but it’s also a design tool that helps brands be reactive in real time to make and launch products that engage their customer base.” A design process that used to take days can now take minutes, and customers can demo every iteration of color and motif with the Customizer, without having to create samples.
The many tech-forward reps that also attend the show were also attracted to the Customizer as a program that could be manipulated on the back-end to merge customization and production. They’re talking about customizing a customization program, and we’re here for it.
On-Demand’s Many Meanings
With regards to frequency of production, retailers weren’t necessarily ready to jump into on-demand orders, but they were interested in using customization as a way to limit inventory by favoring smaller orders that can be produced more frequently. When a style gains popularity, the option for on-demand orders becomes an advantage. It’s also scalable, as orders can be batched together and sent to multiple factory partners. Also enabling reduced inventory, the on-demand model allows retailers to order exact quantities and sizes when they need them, rather than projecting or guessing what they’ll need at the beginning of a season.
Sustainability Still Top of Mind
As the basis of all our 3D-knit garments, sustainable fibers and yarns are an important differentiating factor for Variant. The items we showcased at the Intel booth were made with natural, biodegradable cotton and wool or recycled post-consumer nylon. The process of local 3D knitting itself is 95 percent “cleaner” than traditional factory cut-and-sew because knitting machines emit fewer greenhouse gasses and products don’t have to travel as far to get to the customer.
As always, thanks for reading and please keep following us to learn more about what we're doing to push fashion forward in the new decade.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
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AR GLASSES DO MORE
Google Glass might not have taken off when it was introduced in 2014, and Snap Inc's Spectacles, now in their third iteration, are just beginning to ramp up with collaborations in the fashion sphere. So what's new in augmented reality, virtual reality and extended reality spectacles? CES gave Norm Glasses, made by Human Capable, its Innovation Award for its products that look and feel like regular eyewear with "smartwatch features for your face," said Consumer Technology Association's VP of Research Steve Koenig. Fashion-tech companies like Lectra are also adapting AR technology for use in fabric selection, design and pattern-making, as well as trouble-shooting issues with fabric-cutting machinery.
EARBUDS AMP UP
We've come to expect more than just the absence of wires from our headphones, thanks to the ubiquitous Apple AirPods. In addition to longer battery life, better noise reduction and other smart features, innovators are also touting "hearables," or audio-enhanced "wearables," i.e. headphones that double as hearing aids.
STREAMING GOES BITE-SIZE
Joining the Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ fray is Quibi, the new and heavily-funded streaming media platform led by former Yahoo CEO Meg Whitman and studio mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg. The platform specializes in "quick bites" of content, or videos of 10 minutes or less, whether it's longform storytelling parsed out into several chapters, or standalone reality programs, documentaries, food shows and daily news programs. Its focus is Millennials who digest content differently from their parents, primarily on mobile. Its partnership with T-Mobile could go a long way in making it a household name.
Photo Courtesy of LG
TV UPS HD ANTE
Forget 4K resolution screens; 8K is set to become new normal with even more pixels than you thought necessary. Of course, people will need to start shooting content in 8K, but we're sure that's coming. There are also juiced-up versions of today's LCD and OLED screen tech: Samsung's "MicroLED" and TCL's more affordable "Mini-LED." And don't be surprised if your TV one day goes vertical to match the mobile viewing experience.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES MULTIPLY
Tesla isn't the most accessible car, but with batteries becoming lighter, cheaper and longer-lasting, we'll see more affordable eco-friendly EVs in the years to come. As for cool design, Sony unveiled its first concept car, the Vision-S, to demonstrate how its technology could be applied to the auto industry. And luxury giant Mercedes-Benz also rolled out a concept car called the AVTR, designed with Avatar creator James Cameron. Of the cars you can reserve now, Fisker's $29,999 Ocean compact electric SUV is a sustainable affordable luxury option with vegan “leather” and parts made of recycled tires and ocean plastics. Deliveries begin later this year with leases starting from $379.
Photo courtesy of Samsung
ROBOTS & AI GO HOME
Samsung's Ballie robot, which is essentially a mobile version of a smart home speaker that looks and rolls like a tennis ball, can follow its owner around the house like a Star Wars droid. At the same time, AI is being infused into just about every consumer product out there to make them more smarter and more efficient. We're already used to our thermostats knowing more, so why not our hairdryers, microwaves and other everyday essential electronics?
As always, thanks for following along and we hope that your 2020 is off to an inspiring start.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
]]>Climate Change
The fashion industry, as we’ve shared here before, contributes more than eight percent of all greenhouse gasses on the planet. Bédat shares the sobering statistic that in 30 years time, more than 25 percent of the world’s entire carbon budget will go to the fashion industry IF things don’t change. The good news is, major companies like Levi’s ARE changing the way they make clothes. Here’s something we didn’t know: most of fashion’s carbon emissions – more than 75 percent – come from the mills, where fiber is spun into yarn and where yarn is woven into fabric. Bédat says the only way a fashion company can be truly sustainable is to lower its carbon footprint at its mills. A fashion company may not own its own mill, but it CAN source yarns and fabrics from those with cleaner practices. Online platforms like Thr3efold, which we profiled last month, can help brands find sustainable manufacturing partners and fabrics.
Fair Labor Practices and Women’s Rights
In both developing nations and here at home in the U.S., garment workers, most of whom are women, are among the lowest paid in the world. Working conditions are often unsafe. The tragic consequences of this have put a spotlight on fashion manufacturers to improve conditions in factories and to measure, report, and most importantly, increase, how much workers are paid. Again, it’s a chance for companies both established and just starting out, to examine their supply chains. Work with factories that adhere to higher standards, and set your own standards by creating jobs with fair pay and good working conditions.
Consumers CAN Make a Difference
At the end of the day, people will always buy things, but they are increasingly conscious about what and how they buy. The New Standard Institute is rolling out a global call to action, which you can join here, that calls for brands to align their environmental goals with science and data and to be transparent in the process. Brands do listen to what their customers want, and if what we want is change, we have to tell them. At Variant, we’ve been listening to what consumers want and learning from our past experiences what not to do when launching a new company. We hoped that there were other companies out there who felt the same way, and The New Standard Institute is an amazing affirmation that there are MANY people and companies who see urgent need for change in an industry that we love. Modern-day innovations in technology and science are part of the way forward, but it’s the PEOPLE that make a brand what it is, and the consumers (aka human beings) who can convince brands to make changes.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
]]>The first brand we developed with the Variant Platform, Calamigos Dry Goods, is an apparel and home lifestyle collection for Calamigos Guest Ranch, a resort in Malibu. The collection is available for retail and not rental, but it also marries the concepts of fashion, hospitality and sustainability. By creating custom, on-demand knitwear pieces, Calamigos guests and customers are investing in items that they’ll wear or use more than once, and hopefully keep for many years. The ability to create and order a custom piece and have it waiting in your room at the Guest Ranch is not only luxurious, it’s also convenient. While it’s not the scale of a Rent The Runway or W Hotel chain, the experience is equally delightful for customers, and has been a highly useful way for the Variant platform to test the waters.
Photo Credit: Twitter.com I Leanne Luce (@leanne_luce)
For those who want to take a deeper dive into all the ways that technology has impacted fashion and sustainability has become the new mandate, check out one of our favorite sites FashNerd, where founding editor-in-chief Muchaneta Kapfunde rounds up the six best books about sustainable fashion. We covered Dana Thomas’ “Fashionopolis” in a previous blog entry, but the other tomes on the list are equally engrossing, especially Leanne Luce’s “Artificial Intelligence for Fashion: How AI is Revolutionizing the Fashion Industry.” The New York-based Google product manager has focused her career on the intersection of design and technology and has worked at Harvard University, Otherlab and Tendenci and is the founder the blog The Fashion Robot and the lifestyle brand Omura. Talk about #goals for 2020!
Finally, we, like others the retail business, are wondering what the growing number of online merchandise returns after the holidays will mean for the fashion industry. This statistics-packed Forbes article written by Easysize.me startup founder Gulnaz Khusainova shares some staggering stats, including: returns are expected to cost U.S. retailers $550 billion in 2020. Khusainova argues that one way to minimize fashion item returns would be to make apparel sizing more accurate. We fully agree, especially since high-ticket customized items can’t be returned to a retailer’s inventory. The drive to create better fit and sizing technology through visual recognition software, body scanning and machine learning, is one of the most interesting and exciting challenges in fashion-technology. It’s one of the many things that technology is helping companies to achieve, bringing us one step closer to revolutionizing the fashion experience for the better.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
]]>“India has some of the leading labor standards in the fashion industry, and I visited several factories that rescued women out of sex trafficking rings taught them life skills like financial planning. What they all had in common was awful websites. It was very clear to me that it was way too hard for people to find these good factories, and if you did work with factories overseas, the confidence level in the labor standards was way too elusive. That was my light-bulb moment,” she said.
Last summer, she launched a crowd-funding campaign to develop the technology for Thr3Efold (IG: @thr3efold), an ethical manufacturing platform and online community that connects apparel and soft accessories brands with factories around the world that bear leading ethical labor certifications. The site officially launched in beta mode this past September.
Here’s how it works: brands pay an annual fee to become members, which gives them access to a database of factories. Brands can filter their search based on production categories, quantity or country. Each factory has a profile page, and members can message a factory directly through the platform, as well as upload tech packs or designs to multiple factories in order to make cost inquiries and compare pricing. Once a project goes into production, Thr3efold’s user-friendly interface acts as a project management tool that’s easily viewable from a dashboard.
"Now that we are getting brands on the platform, we see what works what doesn’t,” said Kelly. “If you are scrolling through factories, there’s an extra button to message them and/or start a project right away, so you don’t lose track of a factory and you can continue scrolling.” That factory also gets automatically sent to the user dashboard to ensure it’s not “lost.”
On the factory side, Thr3efold charges a scaling commission based on the amount of orders a factory receives through the platform. “We want more factories on the platform, so we don’t charge them until they know they are getting work,” said Kelly.
Part of Kelly’s work includes making sure each factory’s ethical labor certificates are valid and up-to-date. She’s continually sourcing new factories by working with the certifying bodies themselves, and she hopes to take more scouting trips as well, because “nothing replaces being there in person.”
Initial members include smaller and start-up brands that don’t yet have a supply chain set up. One of her goals is to onboard factories that can scale along with a brand as it goes from needing smaller quantities to larger ones.
Thr3eFold also hosts an online community called Deadstock District, where brands can communicate about leftover fabrics that they wish to sell or trade. Right now, a marketplace version exists on Facebook, but Kelly hopes to integrate it into the Thr3efold platform next.
“One of our goals is to facilitate more B2B fabric sourcing. There’s a huge need for more accessible deadstock fabrics and right now they tends to only be available in smaller quantities.
We have factories overseas that have larger quantities, but the key is getting them to list their fabric liability (their unused fabric) on the platform. I’d like it to be a marketplace like eBay where they can set prices and work out logistics themselves,” said Kelly.
Her biggest revelation since launching Thr3efold is just how complex clothing production really is. “I went into this idea because my background was not production, and I was
naïve enough about how it works that I jumped all in,” she said. “The more I learn about it, the more surprised I am that we get anything made. I recently saw a source map project that tracked the supply chain of Vans shoes. It takes 30 countries to make one pair Vans.”
Kelly says the reason it’s so hard for brands to find factories is that the whole process is decentralized, with no one place brands can go to look for things. “Forget having standards on top of that. It’s definitely ripe for the picking to be organized and improved. At the end of the day, we are a factor to make fashion production more ethical and sustainable.”
Here's to Jessica Kelly and others like her who are working hard to move fashion forward to a new and better place. We hope that you found her story as helpful and inspiring as we did.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
]]>WHAT IS SUSTAINABLY SOURCED MATERIAL?
All finished clothing starts with raw materials, whether that's a natural crop such as cotton or bamboo, or an animal product such as wool or leather, or a man-made material such as nylon. There are ways that all these types of materials can be sourced more sustainably. Cotton, for example, is a crop that takes vast amounts of water to cultivate, as well as earth-polluting pesticides to keep the crops from being eaten by bugs. While we don't see cotton farming going away any time soon, there are different ways to go about it. Organic cotton is farmed without the use of pesticides. Sustainably farmed cotton means that the workers who grow the cotton are paid fair wages and their working conditions meet standards set by human rights regulatory groups. Cotton still takes a lot of water to farm, though. Plants such as bamboo or beech trees (the basis for fibers that make up fabrics such as Modal and Tencel) require less water to grow and are also quick to renew themselves when cut down (unlike cotton, which needs to be planted and picked each season). Therefore, these materials are also deemed more sustainable.
When brands refer to sustainably sourced leather it typically means that the animals were already being used for food, therefore not being bred specifically for their hides, or in some cases it means "deadstock" or unused leather that was never made into clothing, or vintage or second-hand leather that's been "upcycled" into new pieces. The dyes used to tan and color the leather can also be more sustainable if they're derived from plants or natural minerals, rather than man-made chemicals.
Finally, man-made materials such as nylon and plastic are made with chemicals, but innovative companies such as Unifi and Aquafil are finding ways to remake old or "post-consumer" materials such as old carpets or plastic water bottles into new-again fibers that can be used to make clothes. Econyl is the trademarked name for one brand of regenerated nylon that designers like Stella McCartney are using in their clothes. It's "circular," meaning that it came from old materials, was made into something new, and can be broken down and remade again and again.
There are also several science-driven technologies that are making materials out of things like algae, cacti, mushroom fungus, yeast and other natural substances that can be grown in a lab using very little water or electricity. We've written about algae foam, mushroom leather, cactus leather and other exciting things that we hope will become widely-used alternatives to non-sustainable materials.
WHAT DO ZERO WASTE AND ZERO IMPACT MEAN?
The term "zero waste" in fashion means that no excess materials were thrown away while creating a garment. Typical garment-making or manufacturing has a 10-30% waste rate. For example, with traditional cut-and-sew clothes, each pattern piece is cut from a bolt of fabric. While the pieces may be placed close together, there is still excess fabric that ends up on the cutting room floor. Newer techniques like 3D knitting, which means that pieces can be knit in three-dimensional shapes rather than a flat piece of fabric, eliminate this type of waste, and have a waste rate of just 1.65%.
"Zero impact" fashion means that there's no negative impact on the environment when it comes to making things. That would mean: no carbon emissions from freight trucks or planes delivering raw materials or finished goods; no chemicals released into the soil or water supply; no excess materials going into landfills, and so on. It's nearly impossible to be 100% zero impact, but many companies, including Variant, try their best to come as close as possible, and were founded on the idea of making things in a new way versus the old way.
WHAT IS LOCAL MANUFACTURING?
Local means close to home, so think about the factory that made your t-shirt being closer to your home than say, China, where a great deal of things, not just clothes, are made. There are many upsides to this: higher-quality items because it's much easier to keep tabs on something when it's being made closely; fewer carbon emissions because your clothes don't have to travel as far to reach you; quicker fulfillment and delivery. In the "old days" many things were made close to home, or even in the home, but larger economic forces eventually made it cheaper and more efficient to make things overseas. Now, the tide is turning back to local manufacturing, and we're fortunate to be a part of this movement making the change. We hope one day that our products will reach customers globally and be made locally, close to our customers, wherever they may live. Thank you again for following us and joining us on the journey.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
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This week, we're highlighting the organization's 2019 Organic Cotton Market Report, which noted that global organic cotton production grew by 56 percent in 2017/2018. The latest figures show that global production of organic cotton fiber reached 180,971 metric tons (MT) in 2017/2018 – the highest volume seen since 2009/2010 when the financial crisis led to a dramatic decline – and the growth is set to continue.
The number of facilities certified to voluntary organic standards is also on the rise, with facilities certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard and Textile Exchange’s Organic Content Standard growing by 15 and 16 percent, respectively.
Cotton is grown organically in 19 countries around the world and the Organic Cotton Market Report reveals that 98 percent of the production stems from just 7 of these: India (47 percent), China (21 percent), Kyrgyzstan (12 percent), Tukey (6 percent), Tajikistan (5 percent), the United States (3 percent), and Tanzania (3 percent).
Organic cotton now makes up 0.7 percent of total cotton production globally. In 2017/2018, the fiber was planted on a total of 356,131 hectares (ha), with an additional 44,394 ha in transition to organic. Production was carried out by a total of 182,876 farmers, the majority of whom were smallholders growing organic cotton in rotation with other crops.
Farmer access to cotton seed that has not been genetically modified (GM) remains a huge obstacle for organic farmers, particularly in countries such as China and India where GM cotton dominates the cotton landscape. The report highlights some of the great progress being made in this area and includes an urgent call to action for added investment in non-GM seed programs, as well as for companies to develop their own organic cotton safeguarding programs.
“Organic production of cotton is the tip of the spear that has been driving change within the sector. It establishes a direction of travel for all of us, starting with regenerative soil practices.” – La Rhea Pepper, managing director of Textile Exchange
In other good cotton news, Cone Denim, one of the U.S.'s oldest denim mills, has introduced a new collection made from recycled cotton.
The line, Cone Denim Recycled Cotton, promotes a closed-loop manufacturing system that reduces energy consumption and material waste, uses pre-consumer and post-consumer waste in the production of “socially responsible denims.”
Cone Denim is working with like-minded partners in Mexico to collect and incorporate pre-consumer scraps from the production cutting table back into Cone’s supply chain and utilized in the manufacturing of its authentic denim. The company is able to bring scraps from original Cone Denim fabrics together with other sustainable components using what it calls “mindful manufacturing processes to create environmentally conscious…fabrics.”
“The use of pre-consumer recycled cotton from Cone’s own internal operations and our cut-and-sew partners helps to conserve water by offsetting water used to grow cotton. Additionally, Cone’s use of pre- and post-consumer recycled cotton has redirected approximately 500,000 pounds of cotton waste from landfills over the last year.” – Steve Maggard, president of Cone Denim
Cone Denim is owned by Elevate Textiles, which announced earlier this year 2025 sustainability commitments focused on responsibly sourced fibers, reduced water consumption and reduced greenhouse gases. It aims to use at least 80 percent sustainably sourced cotton and 50 percent recycled polyester content, reduce the company’s water intensity by 25 percent per unit of production and set a specific greenhouse gas target of achieving a 2.5 percent per year reduction trajectory as part of its participation with the Science Based Target Program.
Here's to all the companies and people, big and small, who are working to create change within the apparel manufacturing supply chain. May 2020 be a year of even greater innovation and more good things.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
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]]>At Variant, we’re obsessed with sustainable materials, because they’re the building blocks of the new fashion movement we’re helping to push forward with technology and inspired design. After Movements, the other categories that Lyst tracked include Moods, Moments, Power Dressers, Breakout Brands, Logo of the Year, Viral Products, Revival Products and other trend-worthy topics.
We were equally gratified to see that the leading trend in the report’s closing section, “Next Year in Fashion,” was Space Age Style. As the report put it, "With four missions to Mars, testing of SpaceX’s reusable rocket and a new generation of human-crewed spacecraft all readying for lift-off in 2020, it’s about to get intergalactic. As seen on the S/S ’20 catwalks, we predict holographic fabrics, space-suit outerwear and otherworldly styling.”
We couldn’t agree more, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on for the past year – let’s just say that there are some out-of-this-world creations we look forward to sharing with our community of fellow fashion-lovers and changemakers.
Back in March, we chatted with another newsworthy innovator, Stephanie Benedetto, the former corporate attorney who is reshaping the supply chain by making deadstock textiles more readily available to designers – and saving the world’s water supply in the process.
Her company, Queen of Raw, sources vintage and deadstock textiles from around the world and makes them available to large enterprise manufacturers and small designers alike.
“There’s a massive problem in the industry with waste. If we do not make a change, by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will face shortages of fresh water because of textile production,” Benedetto said. Queen of Raw has already saved over 1 billion gallons of water and saved companies over $10 million with supply chain efficiency.
"I take a broad view of sustainability. It’s really around sourcing and finding what’s already out there. If it exists, we are working to onboard it and make it available as quickly as possible,” she said.
Queen of Raw’s technology enables “intelligent searching” – customers can filter by materials, location and price – as well as blockchain technology to track the source of each materials down to the farmer who grew the cotton, and update its availability in real time. Over time, the platform is able to identify when waste and overages occur, and with AI learning, it can eventually predict usage and reduce waste.
“We’re providing a business-based solution around technology. I’m selling to an industry that has always done things in an old school way, where you would pay huge amounts and know little about the origins of the materials. We are more transparent, and provide end-to-end connectivity,” she said.
The all-digital platform is easy to use, allowing customers to drag and drop selections into their cart in a matter of seconds. Queen of Raw offers a free, open-source service on queenofraw.com for small and medium manufacturers looking for 250 yards or less (there is even a section for three yards and under) and a paid service for enterprise manufacturers.
Queen of Raw creative director Corbin Chase and founder Stephanie Benedetto
Benedetto hopes more designers will embrace deadstock fabrics. The platform also offers a mood board feature that helps designers get creative. “I hope it becomes the gold standard as people are starting to care more from the top down and the bottom up. Use your purchasing power to make a difference,” she said. Here’s to everyone out there who’s committed to doing great business while preserving our planet and making the world a more beautiful place.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
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Globally, eight million tons of plastic waste ends up in our waterways and oceans every year, affecting marine animals, coastal communities and ecosystems. Parley and PrimaLoft both recognize the severity of the health and economic impacts plastic has on our oceans.
“Using upcycled marine plastic waste to create insulation that meets the high-performance standards customers expect from PrimaLoft presents a unique challenge,” said Mike Joyce, PrimaLoft President and CEO. “Sourcing high-quality raw materials is essential to the development of our insulations, and marine plastics are often lacking that level of quality.” Like most materials recycling, it’s a complex process, but Parley’s goal is also to make environmental protection fiscally lucrative for pacesetting major companies, which in turn has the power to move the needle for the industry as a whole.
PrimaLoft is also incorporating and implementing Parley’s AIR strategy, (which stands for Avoid, Intercept and Redesign) ultimately leading to a reduction of the company’s plastic footprint. The partnership will also extend to support other Parley initiatives and projects that involve preventing ocean pollution all over the world.
“The fashion industry has inherent advantages such as creativity, its most iconic trait. With the support of technologies and innovations, fashion has the talent, the networks, the financing and all the resources needed for transformation. The time has come to start doing things in a different way.” -- Adrián López Velarde, creator of Desserto Cactus Leather
In more exciting material innovation news, there’s now another alternative to leather. Dubbed Cactus Leather and trademarked as Desserto, the material made a splash at the International Leather Fair Lineapelle in Milan, Italy last month. Its developers, Mexican entrepreneurs Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez, wanted to create a cruelty-free, sustainable leather alternative without any toxic chemicals, phthalates and PVC. They came up with the idea of using cactus, or nopal, as a raw material because it doesn’t need any water to grow and is abundant throughout Mexico. It took two years of research and development.
As Fashion United reports, Cactus Leather is organic, partially biodegradable and has the technical specifications required by the fashion, leather goods, furniture and automotive industries. Thanks to its durability, breathability and elasticity Desserto can replace animal leather and other synthetic materials that are not environmentally friendly.
“It’s the right time to offer this alternative, because not only are consumer industries interested in new materials like these, but also more and more end-consumers are demanding environmentally friendly materials,” said López Velarde. We couldn't agree more. Thank you for joining us at Variant Malibu as we embark on this exciting journey to create fashion and change. We can't wait to share more ideas and news with you soon.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
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We know it's not sustainable to only use new fibers in our supply chain, but it's also not easy to find recycled yarns, because the process to break down finished textiles and remake them into yarn again is both difficult and expensive. While textile companies like Unifi have found ways to salvage manmade materials such as plastic bottles and nylon carpets from landfills, it's been much harder to do the same with used clothing, in large part because much of it is made from blended fabrics.
The Swedish wood pulp manufacturer Södra has found a way to separate cotton and polyester, then take the pure cotton fibers and combine them with its wood-derived textile pulp to make new textiles. Its goal is to also find uses for the separated polyester.
“Only a negligible proportion of the global production of clothing and textiles is recycled today,” Lars Idermark, president and CEO of Södra, said. “Virtually everything is sent to landfill or incineration. But…innovation and a willingness to help mitigate climate change can now influence the game at a global level.”
While its first go at the project used 20 tons of white end-of-life sheets, towels, tablecloths and bathrobes from hospitals and hotels, Södra also hopes to find a way to remove color from used fabrics and to accommodate viscose and Lycocell, both commonly used for clothing, and so that more textiles can be recycled. In effect, it's a call-out to sustainability-minded apparel companies to partner with them in delivering textiles to the program.
In other exciting news, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is about to get a whole lot brighter with the unveiling of Epson's fluorescent-dye digital printer, the SureColor F9470H, available in January 2020. It's Long Beach, Calif.-based Epson America's first dye-sublimation textile printing solution with fluorescent ink – pink and yellow, to be exact. Epson said the new 64-inch printers are suitable for roll-to-roll textiles, home décor, promotional product and soft signage markets and offer production-level print speeds. The printer has an MSRP of $31,995 and is currently available for pre-order.
"We predict the digital textile market will continue to expand for years to come,” Tim Check, senior product manager for professional imaging at Epson America, said. If that's true, then color us happy.
At Variant, we believe that technology can help us find a way forward in creating mindful fashion, with less waste and more customization. We can't wait to share what we're up to, and we hope that you'll join us on the Fashion 4.0 journey.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
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]]>At last weekend's XPrize's Visioneering Conference at Paramount Studios, our founder and CEO Garrett Gerson and Jeff Holden, cofounder and CEO of San Francis-based startup Atomic Machines, and unveiled the challenge to address The Future of Waste in a Circular Economy
What is an open loop waste system? We extract raw materials from the earth, make products with them, sell them, throw them into the garbage, and repeat. The waste that accumulates in landfills emits major greenhouse gasses (70% of all the methane in the U.S. comes from landfills). Places in the world without landfills are dumping garbage directly onto the land or into oceans.
How do we close the loop? With one breakthrough technology that will decompose the contents of a heterogeneous landfill down into useable feed stock materials that can go directly into a production process. Imagine making plastics without have to do factional distillation, which consumes 25% of the world's energy. Imagine being able to take things out of our landfills and inject them back into manufacturing processes. It sounds like a moonshot, but people figured out how to make space travel happen, so....
Above: Atomic Machines CEO and cofounder Jeff Holden (left) and Variant founder and CEO Garrett Gerson present the Landfill Harvesting challenge at XPrize's Visioneering Conference.
Landfill Harvesting
Challenge: Reverting the world's garbage back into the raw materials it came from to be reused to make new products.
Purse: $50 million
Milestone 1: $25 million to be awarded to several team
In 2 years, will process post-consumer garbage with the highest yield of usable feed stock with all renewable energy. Want to encourage large companies and entrepreneurs
Milestone 2: $25 million to be awarded to the winning team
The first team to achieve at least 75% yield, elimination of all toxic outputs, and greenhouse emissions. The goal is to bring the winning concept to full commercialization.
What made this past weekend such a major moment for us at Variant was the opportunity to lead the conversation about the future of waste in fashion, among a small but mighty group of XPrize board members, innovators and entrepreneurs. It's a fashion moonshot, so to speak, to propose a zero-waste, circular alternative to current apparel and accessories manufacturing processes. But it's what we're doing at Variant: using 3D knitting and digital printing to create customizable fashion, with recycled or recyclable materials, manufactured locally.
The bags we created for Visioneering were made with fibers derived from recycled nylon carpets. Each one was 3D knit and customized with each board member's name, at our headquarters and partner factories less than 30 miles from Paramount Studios. The material waste from the production of 150 of these bags barely filled a small Ziploc bag. Ditto for the custom pillows adorning the couches at the event.
Our story, told on a giant LED cube, has elements that everyone can apply to their own businesses and lives: Let's make things with lasting appeal and beauty, and let's be more thoughtful and conscious about how we make them. Instead of ending up in landfills, we hope our products will be enjoyed forever, but if they aren't, let's break down the materials and make them into new things. Let's stop mining new materials from our environment and rethink how to use existing waste. The old saying goes, "One person's trash is another person's treasure." The world's trash might just be the most valuable asset we're overlooking.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
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Veteran fashion journalist Dana Thomas’ new book, “Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes,” out this month from Penguin, spells out exactly what’s ailing the apparel industry today, why it happened, and how new companies are using innovation to solve the problem. In her well-researched and compelling read, Thomas begins by making an example of Zara, the world’s largest fashion brand, which produced more than 450 million clothing items in 2018. Last year, she writes, U.S. shoppers bought an average of 68 garments a year. If you totaled up that figure for everyone in the world, that would be 80 BILLION apparel items annually.
How did we go from the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago, when the invention of mechanical loom heralded progress, to this? As Thomas explains, up until the Seventies, the U.S. produced at least 70 percent of the apparel that Americans purchased. In the Eighties, when inexpensive, trendy clothes became popular, companies began off-shore manufacturing in less-developed countries to keep prices lower. In 1991, only 56.2 percent of all clothes purchased in the U.S. were made domestically. By 2012, it was 2.5 percent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. textile and garment industry lost 1.2 million jobs while worldwide, the number of apparel and textile jobs nearly doubled. Fashion employs 1 out of 6 people globally, but fewer than 2 percent of them earn a living wage.
Why? The average consumer, many of us included, liked paying less for clothes that they’d wear fewer times, and often didn’t think about how or where they were made. Thankfully, things are changing. New fashion entrepreneurs began to question why they were making more things and how they could do it differently. Part of the messaging brings the staggering statistics to light for consumers.
Thomas notes that conventionally grown cotton is one of the world’s most polluting crops. Almost 2.2 pounds of hazardous chemicals are required to grow two-and-a-half acres. The resulting textiles are often dyed with more toxic chemicals that also get into the world’s waters, and once an item end up in a landfill, those same dyes again poison the earth. Synthetic fibers are no better: they can release microfibers when washed, up to 40 percent of which enter rivers, lakes and oceans. The World Bank estimates that garment production is responsible for nearly 20 percent of all industrial water pollution annually. Fashion production also releases 10 percent of all carbon emissions in our air. Where does it all go? Of the 100 billion items produced each year, 20 percent go unsold. In the last 20 years, the volume of clothes that American throw away has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons. That's equal to 80 pounds per person per year of clothes that get thrown away.
Thomas' book has clearly been a long time in the making, and it sheds more light for more people on the changes needed in our industry. The latter half of the book highlights the ways in which new companies are striving to clean up fashion's act. When we founded Variant last year, our aim was to create beautiful, lasting fashion with far less impact on the planet. We made customization our platform on the premise that consumers wouldn’t want to throw away a unique and high-quality piece made just for them. In making items on-demand only and local to our customers, we also hope to eliminate materials waste and inventory, and shorten the supply chain.
What we make our items from is also an opportunity to support fellow innovators. With science and technology paving the way for sustainably-produced fibers and those created from upcycled, post-consumer “waste” like plastic bottles and nylon carpets, we can help to change the status quo, one garment at a time. Each day, we discover new changemakers and entrepreneurs who inspire us to be better. Recently, one of our younger team members came across a company called Modern Meadow, which is using science and technology for “Biofabrication,” or building textile fibers with biology, beginning at the molecular level with a collagen protein cell’s DNA. Those cells are grown and multiplied through fermentation, each one producing collagen proteins that can eventually become the building blocks for textiles when combined with other animal-free, natural or man-made materials.
Pictured above and in our featured image is Zoa™, Modern Meadow’s first-gen material inspired by leather. While it’s not yet available commercially, we’re excited by the possibilities of creating fashion with textiles that are healthier for the planet.
It’s worth noting that many innovations of the past still hold plenty of value today. Stoll, the German company that created the first automated knitting machine 100 years ago exactly, is still a leader today. The Stoll 3D knitting machines we use at Variant now knit forms to shape, eliminating materials waste and enabling customized fits. If that’s not the opposite of fast fashion, we don’t know what is.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
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]]>There’s lab-grown spider silk and leather-like textiles made from mushroom cells created by California biotech startup Bolt Threads; outerwear fabric grown from fermented protein particles at 12-year-old Japan-based Spiber Inc., and yeast-based biolplastic developed by scientists with the Finnish design studio Aivan.
In addition to being animal-friendly, these materials don’t require large amounts of land to produce. We founded Variant with “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” top of mind, so we endeavor to use materials from many sources, from sustainable and cruelty-free plant and animal fibers to bio-tech alternatives and those made from things that people normally throw away (aka "up cycling"). On our recent visit to fiber manufacturer and innovator Unifi in North Carolina, we found some amazing yarns made from recycled nylon carpets.
We also admire what Bloom Algae Foam cofounder and SoCal native Rob Falken is doing to collect toxic green-blue algae biomass from waste streams in the U.S. and Asia and convert it into a polymer to produce all kinds of foam-based products, from sneaker soles to surfboard traction pads.
As part of the fashion-tech startup community, we wholeheartedly support these visionaries bringing products to market because it's the only way that they can flourish, and continue to grow and innovate. Working together helps bring us all closer to our goal near-zero environmental impact.
As our founder and CEO Garrett Gerson likes to say, “Everything is ‘far-fetched’ until it becomes mainstream.” There might only be one successful company out of every 100 that launch, but we support them all because you never know which one could be the breakout.
Our friend and mentor Peter Diamandis, founder and chairman of XPRIZE Foundation and Abundance 360, once told us, “The day before something is truly a breakthrough, it's a crazy idea.”
It’s the same ethos behind the limited-edition Moon Parka developed for The North Face by Japanese sports apparel manufacturer Goldwin and Spiber. Its name refers to “shooting for the moon," or attempting an extraordinarily difficult task that can also have an extraordinary impact.
Pursuing dreams isn’t always easy. As we grow the Variant platform -- empowering individuals and brands to express themselves through tech-enabled, customized fashion -- our mission remains clear: to make desirable and lasting pieces with mindful manufacturing practices.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
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We believe the circular economy is the future of fashion, from both an economic and an environmental POV. Adidas by Stella McCartney is one example, with its collaborative collection that unveiled two styles made with sustainable fibers that, in their very creation, push the boundaries of technology and science. The “Infinite” hoodie – which will go to market next year -- is made from cotton clothes reclaimed from landfills. Those fibers are broken down to a molecular level and remade into new ones which can then be disassembled and remade again and again. The prototype tennis dress is made with Microsilk, a lab-grown, spider-like silk developed by California biotech startup Bolt Threads. While established brands such as Adidas and McCartney have considerable means to walk the talk, they’re doing their part to move needle closer to the new reality for everyone.
And here’s an earful: The House of Marley this month debuted its Liberate Air wireless earbuds made from bamboo and recycled plastic, and the Finnish studio Aivan and scientists, are using fungus and yeast-based plastic to prove concept with headphones. Will these innovationsreach critical mass sooner than later? Bolt’s product development lead is optimistic. This report in Sourcing Journal reminds us that we all can do our part – as makers and consumers -- to collectively move the needle forward.
We also love the literal convergence of tech and fashion: MIT engineers have led advancements in embedding semiconductive devices into fibers, and as a result companies such as New Balance, VF, Bose, and 3M are seeking ways to use the technology in their products.
Meanwhile, AI and robotics aren’t just future-proofing fashion, they’re changing our shopping experience IRL. Bricks-and-mortar, aka physical retail, isn’t going anywhere, but to thrive it has to adapting to the modern consumer. How many “Instabrands” that started as pure-play e-commerce companies are now opening physical stores? Too many to count. (A few of our favorites: Warby Parker, Glossier, Brandless and Cuyana).
As technology can make world to seem smaller by giving us glimpses and access into other cultures, we’re keeping an eye on Europe and China for learnings and inspiration, particularly when it comes to sustainability and innovation. In the world’s most populous nation, finding ways to be more sustainable may seem even more pressing than it does Stateside. We were inspired by World Economic Forum’s post on Top 5 Sustainability Lessons from China. In another potential move to cut carbon emissions,India has approved a Mumbai-to-Pune hyperloop, putting the nation in the front-runner position to be the world’s first to implement the supersonic transportation system conceived by Elon Musk in 2013 and developed by Richard Branson’s Virgin Hyperloop One, among others. Silicon Valley isn’t the only startup incubator on the map attracting famous funders. After all, famous people are just like us. They buy stuff. Some also use their money and platforms to invest in ventures that benefit exponentially more people. (Case in point: Ashton Kutcher with Spotify and AirBNB).
Last but not least, an easy way to be more eco-friendly: Remove some plastic from your daily routine by showering with bottle-less shampoo and conditioner. Beauty Independent profiles HiBar, a company making solid hair cleansing products that are both effective and fun. For the many of us who do our best thinking while in the shower, this is a win-win.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we can create great things.
With Gratitude,
The Variant Team
Have a tip? Email us at info@variant.group.
Interested in collaborating with Variant? Fill out an application here.
]]>Why did you decide to start Canyon Goods?
I took a look at my careerpath and the fashion industry as a whole and asked myself how could I make a difference and create a much-needed change. The way I see it, sustainable fashion is our only option to conserve the planet at this point. While styling, I started to research climate change and how fashion was impacting the planet and was deeply horrified by what I found. I began to look for sustainable marketplaces, that solely focused on selling sustainable goods and could not find one that I 100 percent aligned with, so I decided to start my own. Through my research, I discovered some amazing, luxury sustainable brands that were not getting the exposure they deserved. So, I launched Canyon Goods to provide shoppers with a new destination for luxury ethical commerce.
How do you source the brands you sell?
I spend a lot of time doing brand research online, on Instagram, reading articles and discussing with friends who work in fashion. Before working with a prospective brand, I study their practices and ethical standards to ensure they align with the Canyon Goods mission. In terms of Canyon Goods’ standards on sustainability, I measure the items the site carries based on the following criteria: is the item recycled, organic, cruelty-free, fair trade, artisan-made, charitable, made in the USA, or vegan.
PHOTO CREDITS: DINKIN PORTRAIT BY KATIE JONES; FEATURED IMAGE BY LINDSEY BYRNES
How do you define sustainability?
Sustainability comes in many shapes and sizes. In order to be completely transparent and to continue to educate Canyon Goods’ customers, I provide a breakdown of what makes the brands carried on Canyon Goods sustainable. I’m committed to selling only brands that follow ethical standards and are transparent in how their products are made. This overall helps lead customers to more educated purchases and pushes them to shop entirely sustainable in all areas of their lifestyle.
What are some things regular people can do to lead more sustainable lives and have more conscious wardrobes?
Shop sustainably made designers! Also, vintage shop and swap clothes amongst friends. Clothes do not need to live only one life; they can be reused and repurposed. Fashion trends are recyclable and different decades are always coming back around, so hold onto your items because they will for sure make a comeback!
How have e-commerce sites and social media changed the way you shop and do your styling job?
E-commerce sites and social media make it a much more immediate and impulsive purchase. It’s become incredibly easy to purchase items directly off of online shops. I have always found it difficult to online shop on other platforms, as garments are typically pinned to the model and not very true to size. What I love about Canyon Goods is that we have a very true to size motto, working with models who fit our merchandise so that our consumers can limit their returns. We also do not pin clothes on the models.
What do you love most about living and working in California?
California has been my home for the last 10 years. I am constantly inspired by its beauty and different scenic locations. I love the healthy lifestyle I am able to live in Los Angeles, the beautiful sunshine and the creative peers I surround myself with.
]]>Variant’s creative director William Anzevino was in New York City last week to lead a focus group session at the PI 2019 Apparel conference. Anzevino drew on his 15+ years of experience as a designer to highlight the ways in which innovations such as 3D modeling and knitting are reshaping the fashion industry.
“We talked about the imbalance in the traditional production process, where having to meet minimums means you have to push product into places that might not necessarily want it. We also talked about the current sale model and how fashion is the only form of art that goes on ‘sale,’” he said.
“With on-demand manufacturing, that means no returns, so the responsibility is on the supplier to make the process as translatable as possible. I learned from the retailers and manufacturers in the audience] that the ideal scenario for customers who are creatures of habit and want to buy consistent things, is to have the ability to iterate on it across many brands and platforms.”
Anzevino also helped spark a conversation on what people consider the ideal productive, eco-conscious, mindful and sustainable products. “I tried to make it as much a real conversation as possible. I think everyone is in agreement that democratizing one-of-a-kind and couture clothing is a desirable thing no matter what,” he noted. “The closer we can get to making that accessible, the better.”
Though fashion is an industry in the midst of great change, it’s natural that those who have supported and profited from the status quo for decades may be a little defensive of the view that manufacturing is bad for the environment or that traditional retail is “dead."
Anzevino led the discussion in a positive direction, saying, “There is a real place for brick and mortar, but they have to look or interact with customers differently. Customization that is accessible in a retail establishment that facilitates on-demand is a shift that can be positive.
Maybe we can shift the expectation to not walk out with something immediately to a minimal inventory business model where you still get margins without having to commit up front.”
“We also talked about how that changes the staffing requirements at retail and creates interesting new jobs -- not just cashiers but brand ambassadors and product intelligence creatives. There are a lot of unknowns, and it is scary and also exciting.”
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“When I first started, most of my buyers focused solely on the ‘sexy’ aspect of Vitamin A's offering, but not really on the ‘sustainability’ aspect of the brand,” said Stevens. “Now, sustainability is at the forefront and top of mind for buyers and consumers, and our mantra 'Sustainability is Sexy' has become synonymous with who we are.
Vitamin A was the first swimwear brand to create fabric from recycled nylon, and its latest exclusive fabric, BioRib, is derived from bio-based raw material sourced from the castor bean. BioRib’s production process emits 20 percent less carbon and consumes 20 percent less water than traditional swim fabric production, and the bikinis and one-piece suits are made locally in Los Angeles. Vitamin A recently launched a capsule collection with iconic California retailer Fred Segal, where Stevens took a moment to chat about eco-conscious cool.
How have fabrics changed since when you founded Vitamin A in 2000?
At first, when I tried to source sustainable fabrics, all the mills I contacted told me there was "no market" for the kind of recycled swimwear fabrics I wanted. For three years I worked with some of the top mills in Italy, Canada, and California, and finally created the first ever swimwear from recycled nylon fabrics - our signature EcoLux material. Now, most mills offer stock programs in recycled and other eco-focused fabrics! And as we continue to innovate, we've found great partners with fabric mills in California and Italy who are committed to working with us on new product innovations pursuant to our mission to reduce the carbon footprint of our industry.
Is sustainable innovation more the norm and are mills more willing to experiment?
Absolutely! Most new brands are starting with eco-fabrics as a given now. I'm proud to see that after Vitamin A became the first brand to design and produce a luxe and environmentally-friendly swim fabric, we're seeing the swimwear industry as a whole, move towards more eco-fabrics and sustainable production practices.
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Is on-demand clothing production the wave of the future?
I don’t think it’s such a new model. Bonobos was one of the first companies online where you were getting a bespoke garment made for you – the idea was that they’d take your measurements than make your pants. From there, there have been many imitators.
I do think it’s a smarter model because having stock is a liability - you need physical space to keep it and a store in which to sell it. Honestly, [on-demand] is the correct model for the future. The problem is that the market has become oversaturated.
What are some new apparel concepts that you find exciting?
What Variant is doing with sweaters is interesting because there hasn’t been that type of customization for sweaters because of the high cost of programming and producing. It’s a lot more intricate than cutting and sewing together pieces of fabric, because it comes out in one piece and it’s very form-fitted. An uneducated consumer who doesn’t understand knitwear will have a hard time understanding why it is so expensive. The value is that it’s not traditional, it’s an experience made only for them, not something you can pick up in a store that other people will have. Consumers want bespoke items that make them feel special and that will last.
What does it mean to have an “eco-friendly” fiber? Is cotton “eco-friendly?”
I think eco-friendly is sort of a misnomer. The idea that one is better than the other, synthetic versus natural, is not necessarily true. Cotton may be cost effective but it take a lot of water to produce it, more so if it’s organic because it takes five years of watering to get a chemical-free field. Two of the biggest obstacles in fashion production are water consumption and carbon footprint from shipping. To produce something entirely locally is best no matter what it’s made of. People are going more into technical fibers for this reason.
Isn’t polyester also bad for the environment?
While polyester does create microbeads that end up the water, you can recycle it up to 20 times. Cotton can’t really be recycled post-consumer. H&M has a recycling program for old clothes, but actually only 5 percent of what they get back is recyclable. There are companies that buy old cotton garments in bulk to be used for other things like stuffing for blankets. Madewell’s denim recycling program uses it for insulation, for example.
Do you see a big shift in a business like yours?
I think the yarn supply business will remain fairly traditional. First, because certain fibers are cheap, and second, because we have a consumer base that only understands certain fibers. They are trained to buy and respond to certain things. For example, cashmere or wool is more saleable than some synthetics
Do you see consumers embracing newer materials?
I think there will be a shift that will merge with wearable tech. You’ll see more integration happen not only with polyester and nylon but also with performance yarns. Yarns woven with silver or copper nanowires have conductive properties that let the entire garment have microcenters to track things like movement. Or hollow fibers can regulate body temperature.
How do you define an eco-conscious customer?
Someone who cares about how their products are made and where they come from. Companies are now using RWS4 blockchain technology to trace where wool comes from back to the actual farm. It’s an important step for an industry that has never been transparent.
I work with a lot of brands and for the first time in many years there is more than a cursory push to share how they produce.
Why is it important for big companies to lead this charge?
Recycyled cotton, organic cotton and sustainable fabrics are price prohibitive right now because there’s not very much made. As demand increases prices will drop. Unfortunately, most companies don’t really care if it’s good or bad as long as it sells. The only reason that sustainability is popular now is that there is a consumer base that cares about it.
What are some fibers of the future?
Viscose, which is currently used in a lot of dresses, is moving into sweaters. Companies hoping to attract younger consumers are catching on with this and also nylon.
]]>To us, Strider embodies what California is all about: a passion for nature, a respect for one’s environment, and a drive to create products that are additive - not polluting - to our quality of life. Here, he shares some lessons he’s learned on his journey growing up on the mean streets of Venice to raising a young family in Malibu.
You often speak about learning to stick up for yourself as a kid. What was your childhood like?
I went from patent leather shoes and limos in London to welfare and government housing in Santa Monica. I learned to defend myself because the neighborhood [along with Venice Beach, it was nicknamed “Dogtown,” the birthplace of skateboard culture] was a crazy place in the late Seventies and early Eighties. But the beach was free, so my brother and I would wait for surfboards to wash up and we’d ride them until the surfers came running back out to claim their boards. That led to competing, and at one point I landed on the cover of Surfer magazine. Quiksilver then sponsored me to surf around the world; it was a crazy 20-year run.
How did you land your gig as a WSL on-air commentator?
Well, at first, they told me they were done hiring. So I told them they were missing something. I said, “Look at your crew. Which one of those guys actually looks like a surfer?” I knew I could do the job, but I wasn’t really proven as a broadcaster. But I guess I did a good job, because here I am five years later.
What led you to found the sunscreen company Shade?
I’d never found anything I really liked as far as a great sunscreen that performed well for what I did, which was spend four hours at a time in the water. It’s all reef-safe and humanely and carefully made. Our signature product is expensive because it’s hard to make, but our only by-product is a grain of sand.
In what other ways is the company eco-conscious?
We will be completely sustainable with our packaging by 2020. There’s so much waste and excess in the world, so the goal and should be 100 percent to create something sustainable if you are going into business. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
As someone who spends a ton of time in the ocean, you see first-hand the effects of climate change. How has the ocean changed?
Climate changes are pushing the seasons into different time frames, some almost two months later. Our jetstream used to go straight over Alaska and now it’s come down over Northern California, so there’s a huge difference in weather patterns. We’re gonna have a lot of rain for the next five years. Everything in nature goes in cycles but our habits as humans are also eating away at the ozone layer.
You surfed for Quiksilver for 20 years, then worked there as a marketing executive. What did you learn about the apparel industry from that experience?
In the surf industry every quarter there’d be a whole new line and they would try to predict what would sell, then whatever didn’t sell they’d offload to outlets. Now a lot of customers are pre-booking. The business environment has changed – it’s not just about making money. In the beginning [Quiksilver] was cool and small and fun but as they grew they were just trying to keep up. Now you can keep up in ways that are better for the environment, like taking unused products and recycling them.
Do think your job would have been different had social media been around in the Eighties and Nineties? How do you think it’s changed the game?
Social media is the number one outlet for everything good and bad. Media itself has been that for a long time, but social media is a much better tool to get your word out there. I know a lot of people are over it, but you can use it to spread a good message.
Do you find it challenging to raise a family in today’s world?
Being a parent is the hardest job I have ever had. I try to lead by example. If you can teach your kids how to better people and push on happiness and create a well-mannered human… it makes the world not seem so heavy.
What do you enjoy doing most with your kids?
We go outdoors and skate or snowboard on drop of a dime.
I have opportunity to take them with me around the world as I work so that opens up their scope in a great way. It shows them that this is our world and we need to take care of it.
How do you raise your three sons to be responsible global citizens?
The ocean will teach you respect the minute you go into it.
That’s where I learned patience and respect. My kids love the ocean and they know if they throw trash in the street, it will go out there. When they see other people doing that, they go, “Hey, that’s going in that drain and it’s going to end up in the water.” It’s pretty amazing to watch.
Why do you choose to call California home?
It’s a place where you can have everything from my perspective. From snowboarding to surfing to skateboarding, everything is right at your fingertips. Plus L.A. is an amazing melting pot. I don’t know anywhere else in the world that is so compressed but where you can also do so much.
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