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
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Alberto Candiani was inspired by salami cold-cuts in his local market to create COREVA. After he asked about that salami hanging from the ceiling, he realized that the casings were composed of natural rubber. Therefore, he wanted to use the same technology to improve the stretch of denim jeans.
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In the Indigo dyes
Traditional indigo dyeing uses chemicals and large amounts of water. Without proper treatment, wastewater can reach rivers and eventually the ocea
Reimagined
Amy Congdon and the Colorifix team grow dyes using bacteria instead of traditional chemical dyeing
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
