If you have pledged to become a more conscious consumer in 2022, you’re in the right place. You may already be familiar with Veganuary, an initiative founded in 2014 to promote the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. And it’s not all about advocating for a plant-based diet—the month-long campaign also serves to educate people on the fashion industry’s sustainable landscape, namely its key change-makers, and the innovative fabrics set to shape the future of garment manufacturing.
“With consumer purchasing decisions being the ultimate driver of economic growth and environmental impact, in this system brands are the crucial gatekeepers of choosing and marketing more sustainable materials that enable us to thrive on this planet for a very long time,” Bolt Threads CEO and founder, Dan Widmaier, tells British Vogue. The material solutions company’s innovations include Mylo Consortium, a collaborative project that offers the likes of Kering, Stella McCartney and Lululemon access to Mylo™, a sustainable alternative to leather crafted from renewable mycelium.
Materials science company Pangaia has also been making waves of late, in part thanks to its range of sustainable loungewear that topped the lockdown wish lists of fashion editors and stylish celebrities alike. Pangaia’s novel FLWRDWN™ down-filling, used in its collection of puffers, padded scarves and headwear, has also piqued the interest of eco-conscious consumers. The brand crafted its responsibly-sourced, biodegradable insulator made from dried wildflowers following years of research.
Below, British Vogue highlights six standout products from pioneering brands that should be on your radar for 2022.
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Nanushka
Manufactured from Nanushka’s signature cruelty-free vegan leather, the Noya top-handle bag is inspired by a classic ’50s shape. “The clean lines are counterpoised by the rounded shapes of the gold hardware which is inspired by fishing communities and the powerful Ama women of Japan,” says the brand’s founder and creative director, Sandra Sandor.
Vegan leather Noya bag, $1,256, available at Nanushka.
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Veja
Eco-conscious brand Veja has a range of vegan trainers on offer, including this vegan suede and recycled mesh version, made from recycled plastic bottles, sugar cane and rubber. Given that footwear is a notoriously tricky area, these kicks will ensure that your vegan trainers come with strong environmental credentials to boot, too.
Veja SDU rubber-trimmed vegan suede and recycled mesh sneakers, $148, available at Net-a-porter.
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Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney is a longtime supporter of sustainable material innovations and eco-conscious charitable initiatives. Myriad street-stylers at the spring/summer 2021 shows sported her brand’s Emilie boots, which feature a vegan leather upper, a sustainable wood platform, and a chunky rubber sole.
“Emilie” Chelsea boots, $1,079, available at Net-a-porter.
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Marici
London-based brand Marici aims to create luxury plant-based products that are less harmful to the planet compared to their leather counterparts. Its bags are currently made from Piñatex, a plant-based leather alternative made from pineapple waste.
Marici South Ken Piñatex leather top-handle bag, $1,632, available at Marici.
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Pangaia
Lockdown was all about Pangaia’s range of colourful sustainable loungewear. Now that winter has well and truly arrived, the brand’s FLWRDWN™ staples are the perfect wardrobe companions. The best part? More is to come. “We are working towards other new innovations in this realm, to bring an entirely new material library into commercial reality,” says the brand.
Oversized puffer jacket, $1606, available at Pangaia.
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Mashu
Mashu’s structured top handle bag, named the Amaryllis, is the perfect addition to your workwear wardrobe. It’s made from repurposed wood, alongside recycled polyester and bio-based plastic that comes from corn.
Mashu Amaryllis black and white, $532, available at Mashu.
This story originally appeared in British Vogue.
