Prada’s New Sustainable Fabric Is Made From Recycled Polyester and Can Regulate Body Temperature
If the style of Prada’s latest Linea Rossa collection is rooted in the ‘90s, its futuristic fabrics are anything but. The Italian luxury house has just announced it will use a new performance material for its fall/winter 2020 offering that is crafted from recycled polyester.
Known as Extreme-Tex, the eco-friendly material was developed exclusively for Prada across a three-year period. Lightweight yet structured, it’s composed of recycled polyester and both water-repellent and durable. It also thermoregulates body temperature and has antibacterial properties fused to the fibers to deal with any incidental sweat.
Furthermore, the material is manufactured using sustainable, non-polluting production processes. That means no perfluorocarbons or other harmful compounds usually involved in the waterproofing process. The house says Extreme-Tex is an example of how fabrics can responsibly be produced for the future.
Offered in two different weights—standard and light—the versatile fabric will be cut into men’s overcoats and trousers, as well as women’s tees. Prada has deemed the pieces “techno classics” and you can expect distinct squared cuts, lightweight padding and an unfussy, pared-back aesthetic. In addition to the Extreme-Tex fabric, the collection also features other regenerated yarns, like stretch jersey and nylon.
When Prada first launched the Linea Rossa collection in 1997, the label redefined luxury sportswear. It fused high fashion with cutting-edge, hyper-functional materials in a perfect synthesis of form and function. This new line shows that 23 years on, Prada is still pushing the envelope in activewear and beyond.
“For Fall/Winter 2020, Prada Linea Rossa continues to develop its ideology of forward-looking and forward-thinking clothing, fusing technological invention, function and style,” the house said in a statement.
That pioneering attitude has given Prada some serious eco-credentials. In 2019, Prada joined the G7 Fashion Pact and became the first luxury company to sign a green loan with Crédit Agricole Group. It also launched the Re-Nylon project to ensure all of Prada’s nylon is replaced with a recyclable alternative by the end of 2021. As part of this initiative, the brand dropped new travel bags in July 2019 that were made from 100 percent recycled ocean trash, along with a full ready-to-wear Re-Nylon collection which debuted at Selfridges’ Corner Shop last August. Furthermore, Prada recently went fur-free.
Here’s to a new breed of modern luxury.
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