Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
Circ
Textile-to-textile recycler Circ made its New York Fashion Week (NYFW) debut.
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Circ Lyocell was featured in American fashion designer Christian Siriano’s Spring/Summer 2025 line, showcased during his NYFW show at the Pierre Hotel on Sept. 6. The collection featured two looks made with Circ Lyocell, a filament lyocell with the look and feel of silk derived from 40 percent recycled textile waste sourced from the supply chain.
“I’m really excited to be working with Circ this season because it’s proof that sustainability can be high fashion, and NYFW is the perfect place to showcase that,” Siriano said. “The fashion industry can be so wasteful, so it was important to me to set an example this season and show that we all, consumers and designers alike, can do more to help the environment.”
Breaking down polycotton blends is a known challenge for the industry, the Zara partner said, and is one of the biggest roadblocks in creating recycled raw materials for new garments. Tens of millions of tons of polycotton textile waste are landfilled or incinerated annually because current recycling systems can’t separate the plastic from the natural fiber and recover both materials. Circ believes its recycling technology provides a solution as the allegedly only in-market platform to successfully separate polycotton blended textile waste and recover both cellulosic and synthetic fibers.
“Seeing Circ materials make their debut at New York Fashion Week alongside a visionary like Christian Siriano is a testament to the transformative power of innovation in fashion,” said Peter Majeranowski, CEO of Circ. “This collaboration not only highlights the elegance and potential of recycled textiles but also underscores our commitment to driving a more sustainable and circular future for the industry. It’s exciting to see such groundbreaking technology embraced on one of the most prestigious runways in the world.”
Revoltech
German startup Revoltech has entered into a cooperation with Volkswagen to research and develop sustainable materials based on industrial hemp. The goal is to use these materials in Volkswagen models from 2028.
“In our search for new materials, we are very open to new ideas from many different industries,” said Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen brand board member for Technical Development. “At Technical Development, we place a strong focus on innovative, creative and sustainable solutions for holistic, resource-saving vehicle development.”
Revoltech was founded in 2021 with the goal of transforming the leather industry with its plastic-free product LOVR, which stands for “leather-like-without-plastic-vegan-residue-based,” made from hemp fibers.
“Our innovative surface material called LOVR that we are developing and testing for the automotive industry in cooperation with Volkswagen is scalable and groundbreaking for sustainability in the automotive sector,” said Lucas Fuhrmann, co-founder and CEO of Revoltech.
Together, Revoltech and Volkswagen’s predevelopment team are developing LOVR specifically with the automotive industry in mind. The hemp fibers and fully biobased adhesive are combined using a unique technology and then processed to become a surface material. As the circular material is produced from residues of the hemp industry and is fully compostable, among other benefits, large-scale production doesn’t pose a problem.
“The sustainable use of resources is a key pillar in our Accelerate strategy and is therefore firmly anchored in our mindset and our actions,” said Andreas Walingen, head of strategy at the Volkswagen brand. “Our clear goal is to fuse customer wishes, sustainability requirements and corporate interests.”
The cooperation between Revoltech and Volkswagen, Walingen added, is a “good example” of the benefits for startups and established companies “to be gained from the targeted combination of their respective strengths.”
Dahsheng Chemical (DSC)
Performance foam manufacturer Dahsheng Chemical (DSC) has launched its latest eco-innovation at the NE and NW Materials Show. Dubbed the Dreamcell RCP AER 23C, the performance insole is breathable and water-resistant.
“Dahsheng Chemical leads innovation in creating a new, proprietary foam formulation for the Dreamcell RCP AER 23C insole,” said Mei-fen Wei, DSC’s COO. “The innovation behind the Dreamcell RCP AER 23C insole lies in our proprietary technology that enhances surface micro pores, significantly boosting airflow and ensuring ultimate breathability and comfort with every step.”
Designed to keep users dry through dew or a drizzle, the foam innovation resists moisture penetration. The “micro-pores” facilitate airflow and breathability, resulting in a more comfortable wear. On the surface, the proprietary formulation creates a premium microporous texture with a smooth finish.
In line with DSC’s commitment to sustainability and its sustainable business plan, Run the Relay, the Dreamcell RCP AER 23C generates minimal waste during production.
Caraa
A next-generation brand offering sports bags that bridge fashion with fitness, Caraa, was founded in 2015 by CFDA award-winning designer Carmen Chen Wu and Aaron Luo. The New York City-based label aims to reimagine handbags for modern life.
Caraa uses engineered materials like nylon because they allow for the infusion of different materials to achieve specific properties. In the case of silver antimicrobial nylon, silver ions are infused into the fabric to provide antimicrobial protection, preventing the growth of bacteria. This technology—also used in surgical applications—ensures that the fabric remains hygienic, odor-free and fresh over extended use.
“It was very important for us to make a bag that doesn’t stink; that was kind of the simplest way we thought about this is that, look, if you’re going to throw in your socks and your leggings and they’re sweaty, right, how do we make sure that the [moisture] doesn’t make it into the fabric,” Luo said. “We landed on using silver ions because it has the antibacterial properties. Essentially, the main thing is just to make sure that the moisture doesn’t get stuck in the fabric.”
Take Caraa’s Baby Bag, for example. It’s designed to handle dirty diapers, toys covered in germs and sippy cups. The interior lining is made from silver-infused nylon, which provides antibacterial properties and prevents bacteria from growing into mold over time.
“It was something we felt very good about, just because I think we want to be able to provide that performance ability of properties within our bags and, of course, later in our journey as we progressed into other categories,” Luo said. “When you have a kid, you throw a lot of things into your bag [but] you’re not going to be able to wash that bag every single day.”
Caraa uses two main fabrics throughout its designs: 100 percent GOTS-certified water-repellent organic cotton and water-repellent 100 percent recycled nylon.
eVent Fabrics
Global leader in waterproof and breathable technology eVent Fabrics is looking to the future with its new offerings: eVent Bio and eVent AlpineST. Both are made without the use of PFAS and are compliant with the regulations that require the removal of these forever chemicals from consumer products.
“We look at sustainability as a journey more than a destination,” said Chad Kelly, president of eVent Fabrics. “We continuously pursue the most sustainable options possible while ensuring our laminate fabric technologies deliver the high level of performance our customers demand. We’re proud to report that eVent Bio and AlpineST—both made without the use of PFAS—accomplish exactly that.”
eVent Bio is a biobased membrane technology that uses sustainable materials to provide all-weather protection. Renewable plant-based and biomass elements paired with smartly sourced or recycled face and backer fabrics are at the core of the laminate’s technology. Tough yet flexible, the technology has a reduced carbon footprint and is recyclable at the end of its lifecycle.
AlpineST is a sustainable alternative to ePTFE products, providing waterproofness, breathability and protection in harsh environments. These products were built around a fluorine-free membrane laminated to recycled face fabrics. With an initial waterproofness of 25K, AlpineST maintains a water column of 20K after dozens of washes.
