Green-tech silk pioneer Evolved By Nature goes to retail with Gentrue
New activewear brand Gentrue by US-based lingerie company Adore Me is the first enterprise to take garments finished with Evolved By Nature’s Activated Silk to retail.
Evolved By Nature transforms silk cocoons unfit for yarn production into chemical-free, eco-friendly finishes for textiles, a process which it calls Activated Silk.
Silk cocoons are purified and then dissolved in saltwater, with the salt subsequently removed.
Evolved By Nature founder Greg Altman recently relayed to Vogue Business how textiles are dipped into a “bath” of Activated Silk, which has a natural ability to pull moisture, at the time when the fabric would otherwise have other, potentially toxic, finishing chemicals applied.
The finish enhances the moisture management and quick drying properties of polyamide fabrics (and also reduces pilling when applied to wool and cashmere), thus extending their lifespan.
Mr Altman told WSA last year that it can tweak the portion of silk protein for the intended application, developing different formulations for nylon, wool or even cotton.
Gentrue brand director Oni Auer said that how much Activated Silk the brand used turned out to vary by fabric colour in her interview with Vogue Business. (Gentrue currently has performance pieces available in black, “bare” and “mineral” colourways.)
Evolved By Nature is now looking to apply its silk finish to recycled fibres, with the goal of extending the usage of clothing and increasing post-consumer content.
For its part, Gentrue garments are currently made with virgin nylon. Ms Auer said that the brand opted for synthetic materials because they provide “superior” athletic performance.
She explained that, as most recycled synthetics today are not made from other fibres (but rather from plastic bottles or fishing nets), Gentrue chose to avoid any “unwanted substances”. It is actively looking for possibilities to use recycled fibres, she said, but that remains a way off.
“It may seem like a juxtaposition, but evolving nylon by nature, evolving polyester by nature, helps us meet the consumer exactly where he and she are. That’s why we started there,” Mr Altman commented.
Image: Gentrue via Instagram. Credit: Ricky Rodriguez
