“Wool & the Gang” Eucalyptus Yarn Among Fashion’s Biobased Innovations

In London, Wool & the Gang has launched a new yarn made from eucalyptus trees. The resulting fiber is technically lyocell, which is often made from bamboo and is thought to be less toxic than viscose rayon.

Wool & the Gang’s introduction is in line with the fashion industry’s shift away from cotton and polyester and toward ecofriendly alternative textiles that use less water and pesticides.

In Malaysia, Pinatex is using the leftover leaves from pineapple trees to create a non-woven textile that is an “excellent leather alternative.” Malaysia’s pineapple industry generates about 40,000 tons of leaves annually, most of which is burned or left to rot.

In the Netherlands, MycoTEX grows fabric from mushroom mycelium. The fabric is the brainchild of Dutch designer Aniela Hoitink who observed that soft-bodied species grow by replicating themselves along a modular pattern. Once unfashionable, garments made from MycoTex can be composted.

“Because we grow textile, we can skip spinning yarns and weaving cloth,” the company says. “The clothing is directly pasted and shaped onto the mold.”