Jeans
I don't see the ocean in my jeans. Where is it?
In the elastic
Stretch denim often contains synthetic fibers like elastane. As jeans are worn and washed, those fibers can shed tiny microplastics that eventually make their way into rivers and the ocean.
Reimagined
Alberto Candiani and his team engineered a plant-based stretch denim using natural rubber instead of synthetic elastane.
In the Indigo dyes
Traditional indigo dyeing uses chemicals and large amounts of water. Without proper treatment, wastewater can reach rivers and eventually the ocean.
Reimagined
Amy Congdon and the Colorifix team grow dyes using bacteria instead of traditional chemical dyeing.
Michelle Zhu
Michelle Zhu and the Huue team use synthetic biology to produce indigo dye with microbes.
In the sizing agents
Liquid polymers help strengthen cotton yarn during weaving. Some conventional sizing chemicals can enter waterways if wastewater isn’t properly treated.
Reimagined
Dr. Jason Chen and the Sonovia team use ultrasonic sound waves to lock dye into fabric without hazardous chemical fixatives.