Words by Smiley Team
On a mission to clean up our oceans, sustainable surf brand Piping Hot recently teamed up with researchers to investigate how to make more sustainable fabrics from seaweed. The Australian company hopes this innovative approach to clothing production will shake up and reduce the fashion industry’s impact on sea life.
Right now, 62% of all fibres used in the fashion industry are made from petrochemicals derived from fossil fuels. In the 2015 Paris Agreement, global leaders signed a pledge to hasten the transition away from such fuel sources in order to keep global warming to 1.5C. However, we have missed this target and locked in 1.5C of warming or more, meaning we must now make more extreme changes in a shorter period of time.
Plastic waste from the fashion industry is a significant factor exacerbating the problem of plastic particles building up in our oceans.
Piping Hot joined forces with climate scientists at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) for the project. By investigating the potential of seaweed, these researchers hope to develop a sustainable prototype fibre that can be woven into fabric. By harvesting seaweed, they believe their eventual product will help sequester carbon from the ocean and reduce the environmental impact of synthetic fibres.
[Read more positive news about initiatives to clean up our oceans and support marine wildlife]
“As part of Piping Hot's mission to defend the oceans, our purpose-led investment into marine biotechnology and material science is of vital importance,” said the brand’s CEO, Stan Wan.
Leading the team of researchers, professor Peter Ralph added: “Developing new nature-derived alternatives for the fashion and textile industries has the potential to revolutionise products and their impact on the oceans."
This project will build on Peter’s work for UTS Climate Change Cluster, a university research group dedicated to solving the challenges facing marine ecosystems.
He explained: “The UTS Climate Change Cluster and Piping Hot are equally committed to a more sustainable future for our planet, and the development of sustainably sourced materials is crucial to achieving that goal.”
DONATE: To help combat ocean plastic waste, donate to The Ocean Cleanup.
SUPPORT: Join a beach cleanup near you via the conservation organisation, the National Trust.
