Hugo Boss x HeiQ AeoniQ

Boss x HeiQ AeoniQ Seamless Polo Shirt / Source: HeiQ AeoniQ

CelluloseEuropeHardwoodHeiQ AeoniQTextiles

7 MINUTE READ

Yasmin Ahmed

WHAT WE SAY:

When HeiQ first announced its carbon-capturing cellulosic yarn — designed to replace microplastic-shedding synthetic fibres — it came with the proviso that it wouldn't be commercially available until late 2024. But Hugo Boss' strategic partnership with the Swiss biotech startup has given us an early glimpse of the disruptive fibre in action.

With the release of its Seamless Polo Shirt, the German fashion house became the world's first to bring a HeiQ AeoniQ garment to market. The label's multimillion dollar investment in the sustainable startup meant it secured primary access to the new yarn. But Hugo Boss' decision to blend a plastic-free, "endlessly recyclable" fibre with a petroleum-based one undermines its efforts to promote sustainable textile offerings. This collaboration has undoubtedly left us wanting more, and we hope this is just an experimental step in the industry giant's venture towards plastic-free fashion.

KEY FACTS:

German premium fashion label Hugo Boss has launched the first garment made from Swiss material innovation company HeiQ's HeiQ AeoniQ, a cellulosic yarn derived from certified Wood pulp.
Released in January 2023, the seamless, high-performance shirt is made from 87% of the Cellulose-based fibre blended with 13% polyamide. It features a two-button placket, short sleeves, and Boss logo detailing on both sides.
HeiQ AeoniQ is said to exhibit the same high-performance attributes as petroleum-based fibres, such as polyester and nylon, thanks to its elasticity, abrasion resistance, and tensile strength. Bolstering its environmental credentials is the fact that it's endlessly recyclable, and is said to capture carbon from the atmosphere, which then binds to the yarn's biopolymers.
The shirt was released as part of the brand's Boss Green line, which features a range of athleisure styles and sportswear with enhanced performance properties.
Following a USD 5 million investment from Hugo Boss in February 2022, the company secured early access and distribution rights to the yarn, which enabled the production of the first garment featuring HeiQ AeoniQ. The partnership is motivated by Hugo Boss' commitment to replace synthetic fibres with sustainable alternatives "for a reduced impact on the planet".
Available in limited quantities, the shirt retails at GBP 179 (USD 221) and can be purchased through the retailer's global e-commerce site.

Boss logo detail / Source: Hugo Boss

The black Polo was released under the brand's Boss Green label / Source: Hugo Boss

DIVE DEEPER:

According to sustainable fashion platform This is Unfolded, 62% of new clothes are made from synthetic fabrics that contain fossil fuel-derived plastic, meaning the fashion industry consumes 1.3 billion barrels of oil every year.
Fossil fuel-based fibres are detrimental throughout their life cycle — they shed microplastics when they're washed, which bind to environmental toxins and pollute waterways, threatening human health and the vitality of wider ecosystems. They're also problematic during garment production and subsequent end-of-life treatment — manufacturing and recycling synthetic fibres is a highly energy-intensive and chemical-heavy process.
In 2021, synthetic fibres made up roughly 21% of all materials used by Hugo Boss. The company is striving to replace nylon and polyester fibres with HeiQ AeoniQ's cellulosic yarn "because if society continues as before, there will be more microplastics in the oceans than fish by 2050," according to Hugo Boss' CEO Daniel Grieder.
A pioneer in textile innovations, HeiQ's game-changing, 'climate positive' yarn can be made from a variety of cellulosic raw materials, including Circulose, agricultural waste, and bacteria cellulose, depending on regional availability. The feedstock is fed into a proprietary, closed-loop process that recycles 99.5% of its input factors and uses 100% renewable energy.
The versatile yarn is biodegradable, infinitely recyclable, quick drying, and stretchable – its credentials match polyester, nylon, Viscose, and Cotton. HeiQ claims that each tonne of its yarn has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by five tonnes, contributing to the decarbonisation of the textile industry.
The company states that HeiQ AeoniQ is the result of an initiative designed to assist brands with reaching net zero targets. The yarn is compatible with existing dyeing, weaving, knitting, and printing equipment, enabling an easy transition for existing fabric mills and apparel manufacturing plants.
In February 2022, Hugo Boss entered a long-term strategic partnership with HeiQ, making an initial USD 5 million investment, with an additional USD 4 million in the pipeline pending performance milestone arrangements. By financially backing HeiQ AeoniQ, the fashion brand aims to facilitate the commercialisation of the innovative technology, while securing preliminary access to the yarn.
HeiQ is still in the process of scaling up the bio-based yarn — the building of its first commercial gigafactory in Central Europe is due to begin in 2024. Until then, the company is operating through a pilot plant it has used since 2022, with a 100 tonne production capacity per year.
As part of the company's sustainability roadmap, Boss has published a Circularity Strategy outlining a number of targets, such as making 80% of its product range part of the circular economy and becoming "climate neutral" across its own value chain by 2030. It has also collaborated with a design agency, circular.fashion, to provide circular design training for its teams, and developed a Circular Product Policy.
In 2019, Hugo Boss released its first plastic-free capsule. The mono-material collection consisted of six cotton t-shirts sewn with 100% cotton thread, facilitating end-of-life recyclability. The t-shirts didn't feature care and brand labels, which are typically made from polyester. Instead, Boss printed the information on the t-shirt's inner fabric.
In 2022, the brand launched Hugo Boss Pre-Loved, an online resale platform with a range of second-hand products. A take-back scheme rewards participants with store credit, and the company offers a care and repair service in participating German stores.

“This first drop by Hugo Boss makes the dream of replacing polyester for a more sustainable alternative tangible while keeping all the features that made synthetic fibres so widespread."

Carlo Centonze – CEO, HeiQ

Key Design Considerations:

Blending natural fibres with synthetic ones is counterintuitive

It's unclear why Hugo Boss chose to combine HeiQ AeoniQ with polyamid for its shirt fabric. It could be assumed that the use of polyamid is performance related, but considering that HeiQ specifically developed its cellulosic yarn to directly compete with the properties of polyester and nylon fibres, we're not satisfied with that answer. And with a hefty price tag for the shirt, which is presumably attributable to HeiQ AeoniQ's cost, consumers may feel short-changed or dissuaded by the presence of plastic in the garment. If a mono-material fabric choice isn't viable, consider using alternatives to synthetic fibres in your blend: NuCycl is a recycled Lyocell fibre which is said to be stronger than polyester; and Spinnova is a cellulose-based fibre made from wood pulp, designed to replace polyester-based synthetics.

Textile blends can hinder end-of-life recyclability

HeiQ has touted its revolutionary fibre as a circular textile that can be endlessly recycled. But by blending it with polyamid, Hugo Boss has compromised HeiQ AeoniQ's inherent circularity, and it's hard to see how the shirt would be recycled once it's disposed of. Fibre blends are a tricky challenge to contend with from a recycling perspective, as they require some form of chemical processing to separate the fibres and repurpose the material. At the design brief stage, integrate the principles of mono-materiality and modularity, averting waste by facilitating easier recyclability at end-of-life.

Build a narrative to entice consumers

Many consumers are willing to pay premium prices for quality products that have a positive impact on the environment and communities – selling at a high price point isn't necessarily a barrier if your product comes with a story that captures the imagination. That's exactly what Italian premium textiles manufacturer Beste did with its newly released capsule collection, Flow. Honouring the fibre's "endlessly circular" profile, it opted for 100% HeiQ AeoniQ fabric blends in its collection. Inspired by the elements of water and air, the brand narrative speaks to "nature's balance and rhythm", and features a complementary, nature-inspired colour palette. An engaging story delivers an engaged (and loyal) client base, so if you're choosing to showcase a revolutionary material like HeiQ AeoniQ in your product, consider coupling your collection with a captivating story that takes your customer on the journey with you.

Exclusive access

Global polyester fibre production reached 60.53 million tonnes in 2021, while HeiQ's current capacity sits at a modest 100 tonnes per year, with one pilot plant in operation. To scale up its production, the company invited early adoption commitments, with a maximum of 20 leading industry brands, in return for exclusive access to the yarn – meaning HeiQ AeoniQ is not yet commercially available. However, HeiQ has stated that following the completion of its European gigafactory in 2025, it would begin licensing its technology to enable global access and production volumes.