Patagonia ‘reimagines’ reclaimed fabrics with Truth to Materials collection
30/09/2014
“Truth to Materials honours the purest form of a material possible, be it minimally processed cashmere and wool, or going beyond organic by reusing cutting room scrap that was otherwise destined for the landfill,” says the outdoor brand known for its forward-thinking ethos.
“It’s about discovering the origin of a material and staying as true to that as possible during every step of design and manufacturing. The clothes in this collection represent a deeper dive into the progress Patagonia has already made—with materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester—but with less dyeing and processing, fewer virgin resources and an even greater focus on craftsmanship.”
The collection includes: undyed cashmere snap-t pullover and cardigan, reclaimed cotton hoody and crew, reclaimed wool jacket and Parka, and a reclaimed down scarf.
The reclaimed wool is from Calamai in Italy, founded in 1878. The finished product uses garments and manufacturing scrap and blends them into a variety of knits, weaves and weights as well as textures. The reclaimed wool used by Patagonia is made from discarded wool sweaters that are shred into usable fibre and mixed with polyester and nylon for strength.
The reclaimed cotton is from TAL Group in China and Malaysia. Since 2011, the TAL Group has been saving cotton scraps by sweeping the floors of their factories. This once-useless cutting-room scrap is then spun into fabrics.
Patagonia's undyed cashmere is hand-harvested by Mongolian goat herders who brush their flocks as they shift grazing grounds according to the seasons. The colours of the yarns - whites, browns and tans - are as nature intended.
Damaged down jackets have been collected in Patagonia’s shipping warehouse through its Common Threads Partnership recycling programme. Together with the artisan quilters of Alabama Chanin, the companies have developed a warm and wearable work of art that masquerades as a scarf.
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