Accelerating toward an Earth Positive Future combining design, purpose, new and advanced technologies that build on the properties of natural materials, Pangaia case
Pangaia: innovation in the field of apparel fabrics
Innovation in the field of apparel fabrics is expanding day by day. Many companies are focusing on materials away from common animal or petroleum-derived resources. Some brands implement in-house laboratory research techniques by engaging in material technology.
But what does this study consist of? First, raw materials that have never been used or are already in use are identified. Natural, waste materials and renewable resources are now preferred in the field of clothing. Of these individual materials, the possibility of application in a specific field is studied.
Often after much research, mixes are inferred or created, in the case of fabrics, capable of meeting technical requirements. From sweat absorption and evaporation to fabric padding, PANGAIA has developed and continues to actively experiment with innovative solutions.
PANGAIA: Developing an applicable model
Essential in a research context is being able to ensure a certain degree of realism. In fact, making a fabric out of innovative and natural materials can result in a deficiency in performance. Or the problem may lie in the difficulty of applying large-scale production.
For this reason, the science of materials developed by PANGAIA has been a direction to take toward environmental preservation. «A global group that creates essential products by applying science and technology in the development of responsible material innovation».
Reinventing essential wardrobe pieces
With the same goal of innovation, the brand has focused on consumer products while trying to create its own alternative. PANGAIA is a brand and as such is committed to reinventing essential wardrobe pieces. With a focus on modern attitudes and lifestyles among the latest innovations is a focus on denim.
«Denim is an important foundation for every wardrobe. So right away, PANGAIA Denim was on the roadmap for the brand. We were very aware it is a technical category that needs dedicated expertise to be executed properly». PANettle™ and PANhemp™ are two of the fabric solutions proposed to overcome the problems of traditional denim.
Cotton cultivation has created the exploitation of monocultures and water resources, whose use is around 3,700 liters per pair of jeans. The processing of traditional denim additionally involves the use of various chemicals, first in cultivation and then for finishing.
PANettle™ and PANhemp™, denim innovation
Denim made from PANettle™ uses wild Himalayan nettle, a resource that grows wild and regenerates every year. These abundant crops are characterized by shoots that reach up to three meters in height. Its use in textiles also allows local communities to be employed in ongoing agricultural work.
The resulting denim is a fabric derived from the combination of this raw material and organic cotton. PANhemp™, on the other hand, uses the hemp plant, which – compared to traditional cotton – does not need special irrigation but grows thanks to the water provided by rainfall. In addition, hemp produces three times more fibers than cotton per acre.
«We worked closely with our friends in Orta, a brilliantly innovative denim factory, to develop a unique fabric using an organic Turkish cotton and a rain-fed blend of French hemp dyed with natural indigo from the Indian plant Indigofera», PANGAIA explains. Additional pro is the durability of hemp, which is four times stronger than cotton.
C-Fiber™, efficiency and nature in the service of textiles
The central issue is always finding an alternative to the obsessive use of cotton. In addition to denim, about 3,000 liters of water are also used to produce individual shirts, plus the significant use of energy and chemicals in processing. C-Fiber™ technology proposes efficient use of water and energy resources by combining eucalyptus pulp with SeaCell™ seaweed powder.
The property of seaweed to regenerate on a continuous basis without any use of fresh water is the first aspect that improves the traditional production process. The seaweed is harvested every four years from Iceland, allowing for complete regeneration in the intervening period, they point out. Eucalyptus, on the other hand, can grow in quite arid environments without pesticides either. The pulp is transformed into lyocell, a biobased fiber, through a process that allows water recycling and solvent reuse.
In addition to C-FIBER, there are at present also PLNTFIBER and FRUTFIBER fabrics. These take advantage of agricultural waste from plants or fruits to create, through blending, natural fiber alternatives to cotton. In particular, banana, pineapple, nettle, bamboo, eucalyptus and seaweed are used.
FLWRDWN™the example of high tech naturalism
Natural materials already possess specific functions capable of being implemented through science and technology for certain purposes. FLWRDWN™ wants to deal with the production of padding created with animal or petroleum-derived materials.
«FLWRDWN™ is a patented, high-performance, hypoallergenic, animal-free replacement for traditional animal- and petroleum-based synthetic down», explains Dr. Amanda Parkes, Chief Innovation Officer. This padding is made from wild flowers that grow in the prairies and are grown without pesticides and irrigation according to a biodiversity regeneration system.
The flowers are harvested and dried in order to be mixed together with aerogels and corn biopolymers to create the final product. A new version has recently been developed with a filling power eighty-three percent higher than the previous ones. Among the properties of this material, the insulation capacity is relevant.
Vegan leathers vs. petrochemical origin textiles
The solution to vegan leathers has been sought by using synthetic materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU). Petrochemical origins, especially in PVC, make it a dangerous material not only in the manufacturing process given the use of chemical compounds, but also because of the phthalate plasticizers it incorporates.
From a constant idea of circularity of matter comes Vegea grape skin that reuses waste from the wine industry. Specifically, all parts left over after crushing grapes such as skins, seeds, stems are used in the creation of an eco-composite material. In fact, vegetable oil and water-based polyurethane, the least harmful form existing today, are combined with these.
This biobased material is then coated onto organic cotton, resulting in an alternative to leather composed of more than seventy percent renewable and recycled raw materials, PANGAIA points out. Due to the PUD, the final product is not biodegradable and difficult to recycle, as the brand itself states.
PPRMNT™ – Other technologies for the use of clothing
Common problems in clothing management include using them for as long as possible. According to PANGAIA’s analysis, a household uses more than 100,000 gallons of water per year, most of it for washing clothes. This occurs because of the belief that every use must be matched by washing, which not only consumes water and energy but also releases the chemicals used for it into the environment.
The solution developed involves the use of the Mentha piperita plant that can be found throughout the world and in particular in the Pacific Northwest of America. Through extraction by vaporization, PPRMNT™, an oil with which garments can be treated, is created.
This substance is capable of neutralizing and preventing the formation of odor-causing bacteria without using metals or other chemicals. The antibacterial effect of PPRMNT™ lasts up to 50 washes, without altering the texture, color or other physical properties of the material, PANGAIA points out.
Responsible Wool Standard – A circular logic
Innovating is essential, but reusing what has already been created is also part of circular logic. In the case of PANGAIA wool and cashmere from discarded garments or unused production scraps are mixed with virgin products. With both sheep and cashmere goats, shearing is essential to maintain proper animal health.
In both cases the company uses certified third parties who can perform this step in a responsible and correct way for the animals. By recycling wool and cashmere, shorter fibers are obtained which must be mixed with virgin ones to maintain the quality of the product.
In this direction, PANGAIA’s strategy is based on the use of at least fifty percent recycled cashmere and wool. While the sourcing of the virgin material is carried out: for the wool from producers certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), for the cashmere from Mongolian nomadic shepherds.
PANGAIA
It is a brand founded as a material science company that develops innovative solutions for clothing and other products. Composed by scientists, technologists, designers it commits toward an Earth Positive Future.
