Sustainable Fashion Innovation

Ever wondered what an old plastic bottle could become after you’ve recycled it? Looked around at a festival and considered what might happen to all the tents left behind? Have you even thought about the weird and wonderful possibilities that are out there for alternative sustainable materials, materials such as mushroom leather, recycled fish nets or sustainably harvested wood?

This is a future which is no longer a distant reality. Through continued innovation, Cariki are helping to test boundaries and usher in a new age for sustainable fashion.

The world provides us with a range of natural and man-made alternatives that can sustainably provide for our every need. When combined with human ingenuity and creative imagination, there is no limit to what can be sustainably engineered.

From old apples to used coffee beans, recycled bottles to bamboo, we experiment with new materials in an attempt to challenge the status quo. We want to bring you something new, something that hasn’t been seen before, but the priority must remain that it is sustainable, affordable and fashionable.

We will happily admit that not everything succeeds. In our endeavour to innovate, we are sometimes confronted with failure, but failure acts as a teacher showing us how to improve going forwards.

For example, our experiments might produce items we feel are unsuitable such as a scratchy fabric or material which is slightly too transparent. But this doesn’t stop us from exploring new methodologies or unheard of fabrics.

This also doesn’t necessarily mean searching far afield. Once a manufacturing powerhouse, there are still huge opportunities for technical innovations here in the UK. Working with those based locally also provides the added benefit of reducing emissions associated with international transportation, and we can easily get a reassurance of sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices by visiting the facilities ourselves.

The world is full of opportunities for those who are willing to innovate. We are always experimenting with existing techniques to bring you better alternatives which will have a reduced impact on our environment.

Unfortunately, there is no one material which is the perfect fabric for sustainable apparel. Even the most sustainable alternatives have likely travelled hundreds of miles to reach your shops. However, the benefits of these materials often far outweigh the cons.

If you are searching for the most sustainable options, upcycled or vintage clothes are particularly good. Recycled products are also up there, as they prevent virgin materials being used, are less energy intensive and prevent waste entering our landfills.

With the constant development of new technologies and new techniques, the future is looking bright for innovation in the textile industry. We aim to help pioneer this change as we venture to find the best solutions possible. Our determination to experiment will continue for years to come.