Spiber and Pangaia brew first-of-a-kind hoodie
Further to its release of the first-ever 100% Infinna garment this past spring, materials science brand Pangaia’s “lab” concept has unveiled its latest concept, Nxt Gen, a hoodie made in partnership with Japanese biomaterials start-up Spiber.
Head of business development, sales and sustainability at the latter company, Kenji Higashi, described the sweatshirt as first of a kind, the result of two years of joint development.
Created from a blend of 88% organic cotton and 12% Brewed Protein fibre, grown via Spiber’s proprietary laboratory fermentation process, the hoodies retail for $395. Made in sizes XXS-XXL, less than 200 are available worldwide, Pangaia said, although it painted the limited-edition offering as but the first step in a longer-term plan to scale up access to Brewed Protein materials.
A bio-based, synthetic material platform, Brewed Protein can be adapted to different applications, ranging from spun yarns fine-tuned to possess thermal and moisture-wicking properties to delicate filament fibres with a silky sheen.
Chief innovation officer at Pangaia, Dr Amanda Parkes, commented: “Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibres will disrupt the way we create fabrics through biofabrication and allow brands to transition away from carbon-polluting materials. We were eager to bring this capsule to life through Pangaia Lab and show [Spiber’s] cutting-edge technology is ready to scale.”
Image: Pangaia.
