Pangaia and Goldwin join Spiber biosphere circulation programme

In a bid to build a circular solution for creating new materials, Spiber has launched a biosphere circulation programme allowing for the upcycling of biobased and biodegradable textiles and agricultural waste.

Joining the programme are Spiber’s long-term partners, sustainable apparel brand Pangaia and sportswear label Goldwin, through which the firm hopes to catalyse the transition to circular reuse models.

The objective of the initiative is to push the creation of fully circular textile products that can be regenerated into a lab-grown protein material known as Brewed Protein at the end of their lifecycle, Spiber said.

The plant-derived fibre, made through a proprietary process, is presented as a solution to the demand for animal and petrochemical-free products, and understood to have a “significantly smaller” environmental impact than the livestock farming needed for cashmere and merino wool.

The participating brands have been tasked with collecting data and developing product design guidelines to enable the decomposition of garments into such nutrients, which would then be used for the production of upcycled materials and to inform for wider industry adoption.

In a first step, Spiber and Goldwin have created a demonstration product to identify challenges that need to be solved, with the former also launching a web page where users can access information on the materials and chemicals used to make the product.

The item will be displayed at Innovation Hub at Future Fabrics Expo in London from June 26 to 28.