Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) has developed PLIANT, a 100% biobased material made from plants, not plastic, designed for outsoles.

© Natural Fiber Welding

Materials

Natural Fiber Welding Introduces World’s First Plant-Based Cured Natural Rubber Outsoles

US Plant-based material company Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) has developed PLIANT, a 100% biobased material made from plants, not plastic, designed for outsoles. PLIANT is made with natural rubber derived from the sap of the Hevea brasiliensis tree, harvested from certified, responsibly managed forests combined with NFW’s patented plant-based curative process. This method is said to replace the function of petrochemical ingredients in footwear performance. As a result, PLIANT plastic-free outsoles are said to be the world’s first naturally cured performance rubber soles, paving the way for animal and fossil-fuel-free footwear.  In addition, PLIANT outsoles are mechanically recyclable, described as bioneutral (made only with natural raw materials), and free of toxic chemicals. Furthermore, the material is rapidly scalable, using standard compression molding in the manufacturing process, making it …

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Stella McCartney unveiled her iconic luxury handbags made with Mirum

Image credit: Stella McCartney

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Stella McCartney Unveils Iconic Handbags Made with Animal and Plastic Free Leather MIRUM

During her Winter 2023 show, sustainable British designer Stella McCartney unveiled her iconic luxury handbags, Falabella and Frayme, crafted from MIRUM, a plastic and animal-free leather.  By introducing MIRUM, the Stella McCartney house is continuing to expand its offer of animal-friendly alternatives and promoting sustainability for the planet. According to Stella McCartney, FAO figures show that 1.4 billion animal skins were used in global leather production only in 2020, with tanning processes that use and produce toxic chemicals and gases. The future of fashion has arrived Developed by US materials company Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), MIRUM is a customizable material made with certified bio-based ingredients such as natural rubber, natural fibers, vegetable oils, and pigments, including biochar and oxide. It does not contain any plastics or require …

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THEDEGENERATE_shoe

© Unless Collective

Fashion, Design & Beauty

UNLESS Collective and NFW Drop “World’s First Regenerative Sneaker” Made of 100% Plants & Minerals

UNLESS Collective, a regenerative fashion company, has partnered with plant-based material leader Natural Fiber Welding to create The UNLESS DEGENERATE, a biodegradable shoe that it describes as the world’s first regenerative sneaker. The UNLESS DEGENERATE is 100% composed of plants and minerals and is said to “decompose at the end of its life to birth something entirely new”. The production of the shoe involves zero plastics or petrochemicals, says UNLESS. Zero plastic waste streetwear Based in the US Pacific Northwest, UNLESS makes plant-based streetwear designed to leave zero plastic waste, stating that it operates the world’s first regenerative fashion platform. The company ensures all of its products can be repaired, recycled or harmlessly decomposed at the end of their useful life. Continued success for NFW …

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Mirum X Brave Gentleman

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Leather Alternatives

Brave GentleMan Launches Mirum Alt Leather Gender Neutral Shoe Collection

Brooklyn-based vegan menswear brand Brave GentleMan has teamed up with sustainable material expert Natural Fiber Welding to launch a gender-neutral shoe collection made from the company’s iconic Mirum leather alternative. Setting new sustainability standards Launched in 2019, Natural Fiber Welding’s innovative Mirum leather alternative is described as a “categorically new, plant-based material” most suitable for applications in footwear, automotive, and accessories. Backed by car manufacturer BMW, the company has proven there is a place for leather alternatives entirely made from biodegradable ingredients in fashion. Natural Fiber Welding collaborated with luxury fashion brands in the past, including Germany’s Melinda Bucher for its plant-based handbags, however, the goal of the technology company is to commercialize its sustainable material solutions on a large scale, as it is the …

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Natural Fiber Welding collaborates with Veshin

© Veshin

Leather Alternatives

Veshin Announces Partnership With Natural Fiber Welding

Veshin – a Chinese factory that produces fashion accessories for sustainable brands around the world, announces a partnership with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) to create products made with the company’s leather alternative, Mirum. As part of the partnership, a team of expert designers and craftspeople with decades of experience will help brands source, design, scale, and launch products made with Mirum. The leather alternative is a high-performance, plastic-free material which is rapidly gaining popularity in the luxury accessory industry, having been used by brands such as Germany’s Melina Bucher. Plastic-free alt leather “Many ‘vegan leathers’ are marketed as ‘plant-based,’ but they also contain plastics like polyurethane. NFW believes ‘vegan’ should mean ‘plants’, not ‘plastic’,” Natural Fiber Welding told vegconomist in 2019. Veshin founder, Joey Pringle, …

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