Material World: Celebrate Biological Diversity Day With Carp Couture

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.

This week highlights International Day for Biological Diversity: A United Nations-sanctioned commemoration of an adopted text (circa 1992) to raise awareness around preserving biodiversity. This year’s campaign is aligned against the theme of “harmony with nature and sustainable development,” the UN said.

Inversa

Self-described ethical exotic supplier Inversa is taking pre-orders for a collaboration with Colombian label Johanna Ortiz. Featuring the lionfish leather purveyor’s Silverfin material, the collection consists of the Traditions Belt and Rituals Necklace.

The designer drop trails the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Switzerland using its co-developed collaborative tool to benchmark Inversa’s net gains for biodiversity. Co-developed with the Biodiversity Consultancy, the Biodiversity Impact Assessment Framework (BIAF) assumes the business-as-usual scenario against Invera’s business model.

“Invasive species are the most neglected driver of biodiversity loss,” WWF Switzerland’s project lead for the BIAF, Sybille Borner, said. “Few entrepreneurs and biodiversity investors are looking at them, and they really should be.”

The assessment suggested that, potentially, Inversa could possibly provide a scalable solution to an often-overlooked biodiversity challenge—which followed the charity chain’s “extensive evaluation” of Inversa.

Back in March 2022, WWF Switzerland and the Cambridge-based environmental consultant started developing the framework to provide interested parties with a “rigorous, science-backed framework to evaluate biodiversity impact, in particular, positive impacts.”

While investigating Inversa, the company considered the supplier’s impact in removing invasive species. This spanned silver carp from the Mississippi River Basin, lionfish from Caribbean coral reefs and Burmese pythons from the Everglades, as well as “their activities repurposing the biomass of removed invasives as a material feedstock for exotic leather production and an ingredient in other products such as pet foods and fertilizers.

As such, the WWF said its methodology differs from traditional sustainability assessments because the BIAF measures against “all five” drivers of biodiversity loss—defined as the changing use of sea and land, direct exploitation, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species—instead of solely considering carbon concerns.

Aid by Trade Foundation

Nonprofit organization for sustainable raw materials Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) shared the results from CAR-iSMa, a multilateral cooperation project initiated by AbTF supported by the GIZ that aims to help around 100,000 small farmers in developing new strategies to combat the effects of climate change.

“It speaks for itself that far more than our target number of 100,000 small-scale farmers chose to be trained in the theory and practice of regenerative and climate-resilient agriculture,” Tina Stridde, AbTF’s managing director, said.

Healthy soils, responsible water use, and biodiversity conservation are central to the efforts of the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) to make African cotton production more resilient to climate change. AbTF has opened new doors for small-scale farming families in Africa through a $3.16 million (2.8 million euro) project championing climate-resilient cotton cultivation.

Over the last three years, AbTF said 100,000-plus farmers in Africa were involved in testing various soil improvement measures, with “encouraging” results: yields on demonstration sites “increased significantly,” despite the effects of climate change.

In Côte d’Ivoire, for example, involved demonstration fields achieved crop yields of up to 37 percent higher than those without soil optimization measures. Following the pest-damaged harvest of 2022-23, the participating Ivorian farmers reportedly recorded an average (per hectare) yield increase from about 600 pounds to just over 2,200 pounds in the 2023-24 season.

“In this project, we worked together with scientists, agricultural experts, and small-scale farmers to bring compost and biochar to the fields and to assess the feasibility of applying carbon credits to small-scale cotton production,” said Stridde. “We investigated new ways to secure good prospects of a stable income for small-scale farmers and their families, even in times of climate change.”

AbTF also focused on “practical measures” to improve biodiversity conservation efforts “as a basis for greater resilience in small-scale agriculture, the organization said.

“For us, this project reinforced a more resilient way of working with farmers,” said Ivans Trigo Popinsky, director of production at SAN-JFS, a cotton company from Mozambique involved in the CAR-iSMa project. “We are now integrating many of these techniques into our core operations and exploring the potential for carbon farming initiatives, using the tested regenerative soil practices as a strong foundation.”

Jilin Chemical Fiber

China-based chemical fiber producer Jilin Chemical Fiber (JLC) announced the expansion of two next-generation man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF) product lines, Canopy reported.

The move will increase production of Jirecell—a viscose filament yarn made from 70 percent FSC-certified wood and 30 percent recycled cotton Circulose pulp—to a reported annual capacity of 10,000 metric tons, with the potential” for a further 10,000 metric tons “per year thereafter.”

JLC is also working to increase the share of recycled content in Jirecell to 50 percent by 2028, according to Canopy, as part of a “growing effort” to reduce reliance on forest-derived virgin fibers.

The second effort will see the Dark Green Shirt awarded supplier “commence” the commercial-scale production of Reboocel—a staple fiber made with 70 percent FSC-certified bamboo and 30 percent post-consumer recycled bamboo from furniture—against the annual output goal of 30,000 metric tons.

“Scaling next-gen MMCF is essential to making the viscose and filament supply chains more resilient and reducing pressure on the world’s forests,” said Nicole Rycroft, Canopy’s founder and executive director. “Jilin Chemical Fiber’s latest next-gen expansions are a positive signal of growing momentum within the sector. We look forward to continued progress in bringing circular, low-impact alternatives to market at the scale this moment demands.”

JLC uses non-forest-based raw materials that are not assessed by the CanopyStyle Audit, according to the nonprofit’s Hot Button Report, such as bamboo and cotton linters, both sourced from China. Jilin has taken over the production of bamboo viscose from sister company, Hebei Jigao.  

UYN Sports

Unleash Your Nature (UYN) Sports expanded its global footprint, as a United States outpost joins UYN Sports’ (pronounced “win”) existing network of 15 stores throughout Italy and Germany.

Founded in 2018 by parent company Trerè Innovation, the Italian performance label opened shop in Boston at a 900-square-foot store on Newberry Street. While the U.S. effort will emphasize UYN’s ski market, the shop is stocked it with its “signature” pieces, made from natural fibers and plant-based materials, spanning the seasons. As for how UYN landed in Boston, according to executive manager Elia Redini, the city simply made “the most logical sense.”

“We feel that Boston will be receptive to the uniqueness of our technical apparel,” his statement continued. “We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with the city and its people.”

Thermore

Insulation developer and producer Thermore has introduced Ecodown Fibers Sync. Inspired by the physics of stellar fusion, Thermore said the offering’s nucleus consists of dual-performance fibers working in harmony.

“At the core of Ecodown Fibers Sync lies the power of dual-performance fibers, carefully engineered to offer exceptional ultra-lofty softness and resilience,” the Milan-based business said. “The result is a next-generation insulation with a uniquely cloud-like hand-feel that resists clumping—a rare combination that ensures lasting volume, even after multiple washes,”

Ecodown Fibers Sync comprises 100 percent recycled fibers sourced from post-consumer PET bottles. It is certified against the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and received certification from Bluesign and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 as well.

“With this launch, Thermore redefines what thermal insulation can be—not just a functional layer, but a core element of a garment’s identity,” the company said. “Ecodown Fibers Sync is more than insulation: it’s an invitation to reimagine the future of outerwear, where responsibility, performance and style align in perfect harmony.”

Positive Luxury

In honor of International Day for Biological Diversity, Positive Luxury has shared a special briefing for the luxury market’s nature-bound future.

“What does nature mean for luxury? From the soils that grow our fibers to the waters that refine our gems, luxury lives or dies by the health of the planet,” the company said. “As the foundation of luxury’s economic and cultural value creation, nature is no longer a backdrop: it’s on the balance sheet.”

Not to mention the some $10 trillion in annual business and cost savings waiting to be “unlocked,” the Butterfly Mark certifying consultant said, in “Nature’s Capital: Biodiversity as a Business Imperative,” presumably in reference to the World Economic Forum 2020’s data that found a nature-positive economy would generate such savings by 2030.

“Nature is more than a risk to manage—it’s a business asset to invest in,” according to Csenge Gulyban and Emilija Zagere, sustainability consultants at Positive Luxury. “As environmental expectations rise, the companies that proactively integrate biodiversity into their strategy will be the ones who stay resilient, relevant and respected.”

Broken into seven action plans, the ESG platform’s new publication outlines the risks, opportunities and strategic moves brands should consider in pursuit of remaining relevant.  

“Where risk exists, so does opportunity,” the report reads. “By incorporating nature-focused factors into their decision-making, businesses can make better-informed choices regarding investments, operations and collaborations. This approach can drive more sustainable and financially rewarding strategies.”