The fashion system makes a big impact on the environment—and today’s consumers are taking note. Research from the Boston Consulting Group shows that 75% of consumers surveyed view sustainability as extremely or very important. They’re also seeking transparency with clothing brands’ sustainability efforts, as noted in a study from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. Consumers are looking for information about how their clothing is made so that they can feel empowered and comfortable in their purchasing decisions.
Delving deeper into what eco-conscious consumers are looking for when comes to apparel, Eastman’s U.S. Sustainable Leader Consumer Community found that 7 in 10 of these consumers say materials define the sustainability of an item. But shoppers today are not only seeking out sustainable fibers; they’re also looking for fabrics that deliver on comfort, style, and performance. However, sustainably minded Americans say that they have a difficult time finding apparel that contains sustainable materials—not to mention environment-friendly clothing—that also meet or exceed their primary expectations.
Sustainable fashion should be accessible for everyone. With biobased fibers and a sustainable supply chain, we can make that happen.
Eastman Naia™ Renew cellulosic fiber offers an innovative solution to the fashion industry’s big issues, developing circularity at scale. Produced from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% certified* recycled waste plastics, Naia™ Renew creates value from hard-to-recycle materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills. Created through a unique, patented process, Naia™ Renew enables circular fashion and helps meet eco-conscious goals without compromise.
“Our vision is to make sustainable fashion accessible for everyone. We all need to play our parts to help fix the future and work together to protect our planet’s precious resources for the next generations,” said Ruth Farrell, global marketing director of textiles for Eastman. “With Naia™ Renew, you can take an active role in conserving resources and fostering innovation while demonstrating a passion for sustainability that resonates with consumers worldwide.
”The current fashion system typically operates in a linear way, where much of our clothing is made from nonrenewable resources, manufactured with a high carbon footprint, and discarded after use. According to a report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 73% of global clothing material is landfilled or incinerated. This process is extremely costly—more than $500 billion (USD) of value is lost every year due to discarded clothing and the lack of recycling.
Naia™ Renew is produced with the circular economy in mind, providing the highest quality products without compromising creativity or our planet’s resources. Sourced from 60% wood pulp and 40% recycled waste plastics*, Naia™ Renew cellulosic fiber is a traceable material with certified biodegradability. This is circularity at scale. Naia™ Renew is produced by using materials that would otherwise be discarded without wasting resources or polluting air or water.
Available as both a filament yarn and a staple fiber, Naia™ Renew offers clear advantages over other materials.
Naia™ Renew filament has a silky-smooth hand feel, rich luster, and wonderful drape for a luxurious appearance. It helps create soft fabric textiles that provide immense comfort—it’s skin friendly, cool to touch, and breathable. With Naia™ Renew filament, you can create beautiful, fashionable womenswear.
Naia™ Renew staple fiber is inherently soft. Its quick drying properties are perfect for busy lifestyles and provide long-lasting comfort. Naia™ Renew staple fiber offers reduced pilling for prolonged fabric quality. It can be used to create comfortable, casual everyday wear, loungewear, and athleisure wear—as suitable for a day on the go as it is for a night on the couch.
Part of the beauty of Naia™ Renew is that it is a traceable product you can trust. Fully circular, Naia™ Renew is produced with a reduced carbon footprint in a closed-loop manufacturing process where solvents are safely recycled back into the system for reuse. It’s made from wood pulp sourced from certified forests, and the recycled plastics feedstock is generated via Eastman’s patented carbon renewal technology. Carbon renewal technology is an integrated, molecular recycling technology that breaks down waste plastics such as post-consumer carpet fiber and plastic packaging materials into basic molecular building blocks for the manufacture of new products, including fibers.
“Now more than ever, we all must work together to solve our global sustainability issues and preserve our planet for generations to come,” said Claudia de Witte, sustainability leader for textiles at Eastman. “By using carbon renewal technology, we’re giving new life to the most complex waste plastic. This technology provides a circular solution for materials that currently cannot be recycled, keeping them in use and out of landfills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
The closed-loop process prioritizes the safe and environmentally sound use of chemicals, ensuring that the products created from Naia™ Renew are as sustainable as they are fashionable. It also enables a measurably reduced carbon footprint across the fiber’s life cycle. And with Naia™ Renew fiber certified as biodegradable in soil and freshwater environments, the development of fabrics that can safely return to nature at the end of their usefulness is made possible.
Today’s consumers want more than just beautiful fashion. To meet their demands, brands must make sustainability commitments that include using sustainable fabrics made from innovative fibers, a responsible manufacturing process, and an ethical supply chain. By choosing Naia™ Renew, brands can fulfill those promises and create garments that deliver on fashion and sustainability.
For more information, visit naia.eastman.com/renew. Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to read the latest Naia™ news.
*Naia™ Renew recycled content is achieved by allocation of recycled plastics through mass balance accounting.
