Collection: MATERIALS + RESOURCES

As a maker, I am always exploring more sustainable textile options. There are innovative and smart materials now being created (grown, engineered, woven, etc.) in the design and fashion industries. Though for smaller businesses, sourcing can be a challenge.

Here, I'd like to share some of the resources and links I've come across for alternative textiles and materials. Suppliers that appear to sell directly, and often accept smaller orders. I have no affiliation to these resources, and consider this a living list. If you have updated information or a new resource to suggest, please let me know (jeanine@lillagren.com).

-A-
Advance Denim, China: advancedenim.com - sustainable manufacturing and materials, dyes
AMSilk: amsilk.com - Biosteel fiber, biotech vegan silk-based fiber, partnering
Ananas Anam: ananas-anam.com - Pinatex, pineapple waste vegan leather; textile available
Anthyia: anthyia.com - ramie fabrics
Aurora Silk, USA: aurorasilk.com - organic silk and natural dyes

-B-
Bast Fibre Tech: bastfibretech.com - non-woven hemp product
Bombyx: www.bombyxsilk.com - innovative silk production
Bolt Threads, CA/USA: boltthreads.com - Microsilk and Mylo mycelium leather
Bristol Cloth: bristolcloth.co.uk - regeneratively farmed wool, fabric and yarn available

-C-
Clarus/Natural Fiber Welding: clarus.naturalfiberwelding.com - recycled fabric manufacturing
Cocccon Crafts & Loom: cocccon-crafts-loom.com - peace silk

-D-
Desserto, Mexico: desserto.com.mx - cactus leather

-E-
Ecological Textiles, Netherlands: ecologicaltextiles.nl
Elvis & Kresse, elvisandkresse.com - firehose products
Euromaglia: euromaglia.it/en - sustainable knits, reg needed; trade only

-F-
Freitag: freitag.ch/en/fabric - F-abric, biodegradable European textiles, product and fabrics available
Fruitleather, Netherlands: fruitleather.nl - left-over fruit into leather-like material, fabric available

-G-
Global Green, Netherlands: globalgreen.solutions - material general info only
    -EcoSimple, Brazil: fabrics with recycled and sustainable materials
    -Nova Kaeru, Brazil: exotic sustainable bioleathers, pirarucu and salmon skin, beLEAF
    -Torcetex, Brazil: natural straw from cottonseed hull substracts

-H-
House of U, Netherlands: houseofu.com/en - print services, their fabrics, unknown printer

-L-
Le Qara: leqara.com - microorganism leather, material general info only
Lenzing: tencel.com - Tencel Lyocell fibers, Modal, wood pulp to cellulose fibers, fabrics, trade only

-M-
Mantero, Italy: mantero.com/us - Resilk from waste silk
Milo + Nicki: milonicki.com - banana fabric and sustainable clothing, products
Mirum/Natural Fiber Welding: mirum.naturalfiberwelding.com - plant based leather, avail for patch/trim
Modern Meadow: zoa.is - Zoa bioleather, created with collagen, w/o animal derivatives, partnering
Mycoworks: madewithreishi.com - mushroom leather, sheets and samples

-N-
Natural Fiber Welding, IL/USA: naturalfiberwelding.com - plant based Mirum leather, Clarus recycled cotton
Nettle Fibre Company, Germany: nettle-fibre-company.com - nettle and hemp products, partnering

-O-
Omina Otsieno: ominaotsieno.com - banana fiber, products
Orange Fiber, Italy: orangefiber.it/en - citrus juice by-product, cellulose yarn, fabric
Organic Textile Co, CA/USA: organictextiles.com - products, organic cotton, latex, bedding, etc

-P-
Pangaia, UK: thepangaia.com - global collective, D2C, plant, bio-based, tech, recycled products
Pigeon Wishes, UK: pigeonwishes.com - sustainable fabrics and notions

-Q-
Qwstion: bananatex.info - waterproof fabric from banana leaves; products, partnering

-R-
Recyc Leather: recycleather.com - leather scrap/rubber material
Recyctex: recyctextile.com - recycled poly and spandex; selling printed materials
Rifo Lab: rifo-lab.com/en - upcycled textile fibers, products and clothing recycling

-S-
Samatoa Lotus Textiles: samatoa.lotus-flower-fabric.com - banana/lotus/silk blends, fabrics available
Smartfiber AG: smartfiber.de - SeaCell, carbon neutral, biodegradable wood/seaweed, sportswear, textiles trade only
Spiber: spiber.jp - Brewed Protein, materials from plant derived biomass/fermentation yarns, textiles, partnering

-T-
Tencel Luxe: tencel.com/luxe
Thai Num Choke Textile Co: tnctextile.com - Pineapple fibers, from leaves, fabrics made to order
Two Sisters Textiles, WA/USA: twosistersecotextiles.com - interiors and more

-V-
Vegea: vegeacompany.com - biomaterials, partnering

RESOURCES:

Esce-tex, UK: esce-tex.com - tools and services to increase accessibility and sustainability, sourcing, consultancy, materials

Fashion For Good: fashionforgood.com - platform for sustainable innovation, changemakers and collaboration

Materiom: materiom.org - open-source recipes and data for material making, using abundant sources of natural ingredients

Repurposed Materials: repurposedmaterialsinc.com - used industrial materials for sale

The Sustainable Angle: thesustainableangle.org - connection and support for businesses, designers and suppliers; creator of Future Fabrics Expo

For a look at categories of textiles, read Textiles by Type.