One of the first sustainable denim brands I found when starting Simply Suzette was G-Star Raw! They were one of the first brands who started to focus on sustainability as a driving force for their brand. I am not surprised they have upped the ante with a whole collection dyed by nature.
They have partnered with the chemical company, Achroma, to create a collection dyed with up-cycled plant waste, such as palmetto leaf, almond shells, and beetroot waste that is left over from the herbal industry. Their criteria for making this dye is that it must be non edible and the availability of the ingredients is close in proximity. Achroma and G-Star's passion with this project lies in the big potential to reuse waste from other industries to help create a holistic circular economy.
The collection is also made from organic cotton, recycled cotton and Tencel, which are all cellulose fibres (the most sustainable in my opinion) ! Achroma also assures that by using natural waste-based materials, there are no other negative impacts throughout the steps of the dye manufacturing.
There are some limitations with the colour ranges, as this is still a very new technology, but there is so much potential as they experiment with different residues and help close the loop for other industries, as well.
It is SO cool to see industry cross over and companies start to collaborate on creating a circular economy. If you are curious to see the collection for yourself, her dover to the G-Star's Toronto Flagship store at Queen and Spadina! Greg from Raw Never Dyes and Matt won't let you down!
*Preview Image from Pillar Box Blue