Material World: Modern Meadow Goes for the Gold, Patagonia ‘Forges’ Ahead
Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
Modern Meadow
Modern Meadow and Australia-based sustainable activewear brand Earthletica are going for the gold.
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The two have teamed up on the Bronte Jacket, named in recognition of Earthletica’s founder, competitive swimmer and dual Olympic gold medalist, Bronte Campbell. The first-of-its-kind jacket is made with Bio-Alloy Shield, a breathable and waterproof membrane developed by the biofabrication company.
Campbell showcased the jacket when competing at the 2024 Australian Olympic Swimming Trials in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics.
“At Earthletica, we are committed to creating activewear that not only looks and feels good, but also supports a healthy planet,” Campbell said. “Modern Meadow’s focus on innovation and sustainability aligns with our ethos to embrace technology to achieve sustainability more meaningfully than any other brand across our entire product line and I see this collaboration on the Bronte Jacket as the start of a long-term relationship, to achieve other ‘world firsts’ together, even after the Olympics.”
The garment utilizes the Bio-Alloy shield membrane, which is PFAS/PFC- and solvent-free while delivering high performance in outdoor conditions. Bio-Alloy Shield is just one of several applications that Modern Meadow developed through its Bio-Alloy platform—a proprietary system that combines select proteins with bio-based polymers to produce sustainable and superior materials. With Bio-Alloy Shield, the proteins provide the channel for moisture to move through the material for added breathability while staying waterproof. With 60 percent of its content bio-renewable, Bio-Alloy Shield has high abrasion resistance, allowing for lightweight and skin-out applications.
“Collaborating with Earthletica on the Bronte Jacket exemplifies our resolve to create a more sustainable future through biomaterials,” said David Williamson, president and chief operating officer at Modern Meadow. “We see performance and sustainability as an Olympic sport. Just like athletes train to win gold medals, we are constantly researching and innovating to find real-world solutions to the fashion industry’s environmental challenges.”
Patagonia
Patagonia announced the co-development of a circular solution for wetsuits with Bolder Industries.
The outdoor retailer started collecting end-of-life Yulex (natural rubber) wetsuits earlier this year so Bolder Industries can break them down on the molecular level to be then used as carbon black in the dyeing process of future Yulex wetsuits. Carbon black dyes the wetsuits’ recycled nylon lining, accounting for about 15-20 percent of Patagonia wetsuits’ rubber foam. The production process for Bolder Industries’ BolderBlack uses 90 percent less water and emits 90 percent fewer greenhouse gases than traditional carbon black.
“We hope that this breakthrough in recycling and circularity will go well beyond the surf industry and will eventually be implemented across countless product sectors. We have successfully piloted this program using reclaimed carbon black (RCB) from retired Yulex wetsuits as a main component in wetsuits, and that cycle can repeat indefinitely,” said Hub Hubbard, Patagonia Surf product line manager. “Yes, other brands have offered wetsuit collections for recycling, but the wetsuits have, so far, only been broken down mechanically into things like yoga mats and playground material. We are constantly working to reduce our impact and share solutions with the industry. Currently, we are collaborating with multiple brands to convert their wetsuits to Yulex and implement this program with Bolder Industries, providing a sustainable end-of-life solution.”
Since Yulex has been adopted by other wetsuit brands—including Billabong and Finisterre—Patagonia said it hopes to see this collection program grow as more Yulex wetsuits enter the market.
“The larger adoption of Yulex by major wetsuit brands has been amazing,” said Jason McCaffrey, director of Patagonia Surf. “This end-of-life solution through our partnership with Bolder Industries is just one more benefit of using natural rubber.”
Patagonia collects end-of-life wetsuits in its on-site wetsuit research, development and repair center, called the Wetsuit Forge. Here, zippers are removed, and the suits are shipped to Bolder Industries in Colorado. There, carbon black is extracted from the wetsuits and other rubber scraps, such as car tires. The reclaimed material is then sent to Patagonia’s manufacturer, Sheico, where the new wetsuits are made. The first Patagonia wetsuits made with reclaimed BolderBlack are set to go on sale in the spring of 2025.
“At Patagonia, we strive to build the best products and constantly improve everything we do by developing new ways to do things,” said Mackenzie Warner, material developer at Patagonia. “While collaborating on this material with Bolder Industries, we discovered that recovered carbon black from rubber scraps and Yulex wetsuits can be utilized to not only solution dye wetsuit materials but also black fabrics and trims to make products such as packs and jackets. We’re excited to continue to find new ways to use this innovative new material and share it with the industry.”
Freitag
Freitag knows that it’s not just truck tarps (its signature material) that get discarded. That’s why the Zurich-based bag manufacturer has tapped a new “treasure trove” for materials: road traffic.
The latest additions to the Freitag bag family—the F700 Arrow and the F708 Firebird—are made from discarded airbags that were previously installed in cars but remained unused. Tension belts previously used on Europe’s truck routes are used as the handles. Considering that an airbag’s design is dependent on its producer, every Freitag airbag shopper is one-of-a-kind.
To design the F700 Arrow and F708 Firebird, the Swiss company followed the “bag follows form” design principle. This means that the airbags retain their original shape and characteristics, minimizing waste and preserving the memory of their former purpose. When full, the bags are compact and narrow. But if given “a good shaking” or holding a bigger load, they unfold their full volume and assume the characteristic founded shape of airbags. This is what Freitag calls the “airbag effect.”
Users can carry these bags in three different ways: in the hands, on the shoulder or as a backpack. The tension strap handle was softened during its previous life on the road and is now comfortable while staying strong. The shoulder strap provides flexibility for throwing on one’s shoulder. An additional shoulder strap turns the shoulder bag into a practical backpack.
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