Pangaia x Spiber

Lab Nxt Gen Hoodie – a blend of organic cotton and Brewed Protein fibres / Source: Pangaia

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4 MINUTE READ

Mayer Nissim

WHAT WE SAY:

We love reading about the ‘world’s first...’ especially when it refers to breakthroughs in sustainable materials. Pangaia’s collaboration with Spiber marks the first time that the Japanese biotech’s novel Brewed Protein materials have been available globally, beyond concept pieces.

And while the collection is limited to less than 200 pieces, plant-based synthetics could revolutionise the fashion industry – offering shorter, more ethical and lower impact supply chains. We will be watching closely as Spiber ramps up its production facilities in the coming months.

KEY FACTS:

Pangaia has launched the Lab Nxt Gen Hoodie, the first globally commercially available sweatshirt using Spiber’s Brewed Protein fibres.
The sweatshirt is the first product from a multi-year partnership with Japanese biotech firm Spiber, which manufactures the innovative polymers via the microbial fermentation of agricultural feedstocks like sugar.
The Lab Nxt Gen Hoodie is available exclusively in black. It is sold through Pangaia’s online store, priced at USD 395, with less than 200 pieces available worldwide.

Brewed Protein filament yarns / Source: Spiber

Model wears Pangaia x Spiber collaborative garment / Source: Pangaia

DIVE DEEPER:

The hoodie is made in Portugal from a blend of 88% organic Cotton and 12% Brewed Protein fibres.
Brewed Protein from Spiber gives the Pangaia Lab Nxt Gen Hoodie a smooth finish without the need for polyester or animal-derived fibres like Wool and cashmere that are often land and water-intensive.
Being bio-based, the Brewed Protein fibre does not shed any microplastics.
The unisex Hoodie comes with a fitted hood and signature relaxed fit, and can be washed at 30°C/85°F.
All trims, labels and threads are recycled or otherwise responsibly sourced. It is delivered in part bio-based packaging that can be fully composted within 24 weeks.
The Hoodie label includes a digital passport, allowing retailers and consumers to scan a QR code to learn about the product lifecycle and environmental impact savings.
While this is its first widely commercial product, Spiber previously launched a limited edition t-shirt, featuring Brewed Protein with Japanese fashion brand Sacai, as well as concept partnerships with sportswear brand Goldwin and outerwear giant The North Face.
Spiber has a sustainable sourcing policy and buys its sugars from certified suppliers of sugarcane and corn as its main feedstock – including Bonsucro certification in Thailand. It also implements geographically selected additional sustainable agricultural practices, such as cover cropping in the US.

"Spiber's Brewed Protein fibres will disrupt the way we create fabrics through biofabrication and allow brands to transition away from carbon-polluting materials."

Dr Amanda Parkes – Chief Innovation Officer, Pangaia

Key Design Considerations:

Limited supply

This is the first globally available sweatshirt using Spiber’s impressive technology, but with fewer than 200 pieces available worldwide, it remains an extremely limited edition product. At present, Brewed Protein still feels like an experimental fibre waiting for a partnership to take it to the next level of availability.

Use a status story

Using Brewed Protein is like buying an electric car 15 years ago – it is about its status and story, rather than its practicality. Consider that at USD 330, Pangaia’s cashmere hoodie is less expensive than this hoodie. So if you are considering using Brewed Protein, you should think as much about your product narrative as its superficial design.

The final composition

Despite being marketed as the ‘world’s first’ hoodie made with Spiber’s Brewed Protein, the material only accounts for 12% of the finished product. It is not clear whether this is for performance or price reasons (or both), but it is a powerful reminder that new materials often do not just replace existing ones, but sit alongside them. With that in mind, Pangaia has missed an opportunity to communicate work with a similarly innovative cotton producer – for example, using climate positive and/or regeneratively farmed cotton, rather than just undifferentiated organic cotton.

End-of-life compostability

As a fully natural fibre, cotton is theoretically compostable, and in January 2021, Spiber published an academic paper on the environmental biodegradability of Brewed Protein. However, we would welcome dedicated data on the biodegradability of Pangaia’s Lab Nxt Gen Hoodie.

Feedstock sources

While Spiber talks about sourcing sugarcane from certified suppliers and regenerative corn farmers who plant cover crops, as the company scales, you should confirm that it is able to efficiently audit and maintain these standards.