One of the most exciting aspects of fashion is how much innovation is currently happening.
From new materials to technology projects: the industry is constantly changing and people are trying to figure out how to disrupt it.
Material innovation in particular is an exciting field that’s continually evolving: from leather made out of mushrooms to textiles that grow with the person’s body, the opportunities seem endless.
Two thirds of a brand’s footprint actually comes from what kind of raw materials they’re using. Therefore it makes sense to get to the root of the problem and to also work on the most impactful solution, which is to really analyse how the choice of raw materials can be better in terms of creating the products that would actually inspire the market.
One of the main challenges of experimenting with new innovations is the fact that new materials need to be high performance and able to compete with their former counterparts. This can be incredibly challenging, particularly when it comes to creating alternatives for already existing materials. Besides the quality, the aesthetic also has to be the same, if not better. In order to have a big and long lasting impact and really shift the whole industry, we cannot rely on any materials that require consumers to make a choice between ethics and aesthetics.
Another obstacle might be accessibility: Despite the fact that there has been a big increase in new materials, unfortunately a lot of them are not as easily available as one might think. Particularly for smaller businesses, who want to incorporate better and more sustainable materials into their collections, this proves to be a big challenge. Innovative materials are often very costly and not easily accessible in lower quantities (which small businesses usually work with).
Apart from that, it also takes time to shift consumer’s mindsets. If they’re only used to one material, it might be hard to convince them of another and trying to build up that trust for a new material is a challenge.
To find out more about Material Innovation in fashion and some exciting projects and materials coming up, make sure you listen to the new episode of our podcast ‘Consciousness Beyond The Product’ featuring Cassie Quinn, Jessica Kruger and Elaine Siu.
You can listen to the full episode via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. As well as find out more on our Instagram account @sabinna_com.
Any questions, thoughts or feedback? E-mail us at podcast@sabinna.com or send us a DM via Instagram.
