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.
Copenhagen Fashion Week
The Spring 2026 edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) was the Danish Fashion Institute biannual’s largest effort yet—potentially it’s most materially diverse, too. The edition featured 45 new and returning brands on schedule, with some adding next-gen inputs to the show.
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Danish brand Skall Studio incorporated Sicilian orange and cactus byproducts to introduce accessories and debut a line of shoes, bags and belts featuring the value-driven leather alternative. MKDT Studio used rows of the shredded vegetable fiber ramie to create a 3D checkered pattern, creative director Caroline Engelgaar said, among the other natural fibers comprising the collection’s “tactile interplay materials.”
Munthe’s collection centers around a print developed through a plant-based dyeing technique using flowers and leaves on treated fabrics. Using a controlled infusion process, the heritage brand said, natural pigments were transferred onto the material as detailed impressions.
“Each botanical element was meticulously placed on fabric that had been prepared with plant-based dyes. The fabric was then rolled and steamed; a process that allowed the natural pigments and shapes to transfer onto the material,” Naja Munthe, creative director and founder of Munthe, said. “When unrolled, the result felt like unveiling a piece of artwork: rich in detail, subtle in tone and entirely one-of-a-kind.”
As always, independent brand Deadwood Studio’s SS26 collection—what the Stockholm label called an homage to human curiosity—was crafted with reclaimed waste- and next-gen materials.
Ocean Legacy Foundation
UNEP-accredited nonprofit Ocean Legacy Foundation (OLF) has developed a marine plastic management program to support British Columbia’s fishing and aquaculture industry to turn plastic waste into reputational capital and drive Canada’s circular economy.
Designed for organizations in fisheries, aquaculture, transportation and coastal tourism, the program (MPMP) utilizes a tiered membership structure ranging from a minimum volume of 10 metric tons recycled annually ($150 a year) up to volumes over 50 metric tons ($500) a year, though membership fees depend on scope of benefits requested. Those benefits span embedded plastic-carbon accounting for ESG carbon reporting—available by 2026, Ocean Legay said—and discounts on OLF’s social enterprise plastic products as well as access to OLF’s educational platform and trainings on best practices for material management, the 12-year-old organization said. It’s also part of OLF’s UNESCO-endorsed Strategic Management of Ghost Gear in Coastal Land initiative.
“At the heart of the Marine Plastic Management Program is a commitment to innovation and environmental leadership,” said OLF’s executive director, Chloé Dubois. “Through the integration of waste recovery, tracking, sorting and recycling technologies, the MPMP makes it possible to close the loop on marine plastics by turning waste into valuable resources.”
Participants join a network of like-minded organizations keen on reducing plastic leakage and improving material traceability. The program supports plastic-carbon footprint reporting and aligns with extended producer responsibility (EPR) principles, helping businesses prepare for regulatory shifts while promoting long-term environmental and operational resilience.
“Canada is taking meaningful action to address ghost gear and marine pollution and we’re seeing the results,” said minister of fisheries Joanne Thompson. “With support from our Ghost Gear Program, the OLF is … a practical example of how a green, circular economy can protect the oceans while supporting sustainable jobs and local industry on our coasts.”
Adidas
Adidas went “oven fresh” for its Climacool Laced offering. The German sportswear giant advertised the kicks as “made like nothing, feels like nothing and looks like nothing,” per an informational display at the event, which played playful homage to the sneaker’s “baked” 3D-printed design.
“Inspired by the construction of lattice structures, Adidas crafted Climacool using a 360-degree approach with minimal materials, to transform each shoe into something extraordinarily comfortable but with revolutionary simplicity,” reads the flyer.
Created with the company’s additive manufacturing process, the kicks are designed and printed as a single piece, built layer by layer by blending the upper and midsole. The result features a latticed midsole and seamless and adaptive upper that can deliver immersive airflow and second-skin comfort.
Starting Aug. 15, the Climacool Laced grey colorway is available at Adidas’ retail locations, website and Confirmed app for $160.
Claros Technologies
Minneapolis per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mitigation company Claros Technologies has secured $10 million in convertible note financing to accelerate the commercial deployment of its PFAS destruction system, ClarosTechUV.
The convertible note was supported by early-stage venture capital firm Capita3, the University of Minnesota, American Century Private Investments and the Saint Paul-based F. R. Bigelow Foundation, among others, as well as new investors.
“Our recent pilot with Daikin—where our ClarosTechUV PFAS Destruction System achieved 99.99 percent destruction of targeted PFAS in high-flow wastewater—was a watershed moment for industrial operations and a major milestone for Claros,” said Michelle Bellanca, co-founder and CEO of Claros. “That pilot not only set a new benchmark for what’s possible in scalable, low cost and permanent PFAS destruction; it validated our ability to destroy all PFAS species—long, short, ultra-short—at scale, efficiently and affordably.”
This note brings Claros’ total capital raised to $39 million since inception (2018), including early grant funding, early-stage and institutional investments. The company plans to use these funds to keep scaling its ClarosTechUV system, expand global pilots and installation programs, as well as build-out commercial operations in North America, Europe and Asia.
“Interest in Claros has been building steadily as regulatory pressure intensifies and industrial stakeholders seek permanent and reliable PFAS solutions,” Bellanca said. “The Daikin pilot marked a powerful inflection point—this convertible note is not just a vote of confidence from our investors but a critical enabler of our ability to scale quickly and meet the urgency of the moment.”
Eastman
Specialty materials and chemicals company Eastman has partnered with Huafon Chemical, a holding subsidiary of the eponymous group—and one of the largest manufacturers of polyurethane (PU) materials on the global market—on a joint facility to produce cellulose acetate filament yarns.
The China-based plant will be dedicated to localized production and the “product innovation” of Eastman’s Naia: a bioplastic material made from cellulose from wood pulp (like eucalyptus and pine) and produced with acetic acid, a byproduct of fermentation.
“China is the world’s largest textile supply chain hub and a frontier for product and technology innovation,” said Ruth Farrell, general manager of Eastman’s textiles business. “This strategic partnership will provide us with greater capacity and further enhance the innovation and product development capabilities of Naia yarn while enabling Eastman to fulfill its brand promise of making sustainable textiles accessible to all.”
This collaboration demonstrates Eastman’s commitment to the Chinese market, the Kingsport, Tennessee-based producer said, further deepening its market presence in the region with an increasingly agile supply chain response to meet demand.
“Through cooperation with Eastman, we look forward to combining local advantages with international resources to achieve a fully localized chain from technological innovation, product development, production to service and jointly promoting the sustainable development of the textiles industry,” said Congdeng Yang, the director for Huafon and Eastman’s collaboration program.
Ororo
Heated apparel brand Ororo just dropped a collection of non-heated products as the Kansas City-based brand’s first ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) apparel offering.
The Summer Collection comprises wool pieces for men and women—and the women’s TechTrail mini collection—meant for all-day wear during warmer months or as a base layer during cooler months.
“When creating the Summer Collection, we used the same innovative approach as we did when creating our heated and cooling apparel,” said Mark Hu, Ororo’s co-founder and CEO. “We want to ensure all Ororo apparel products are multi-functional, which is why we made sure these pieces can be worn on their own or can act as a comfortable and high-quality base layer during the colder months.”
The full collection includes wool T-shirts, quick-dry shorts with wool-lined waistbands, cargo pants and hoodies, among other pieces. The Women’s TechTrail mini collection features UPF 50-plus and quick-dry, moisture-wicking material with four-way stretch spandex.
