The clothing industry is an environmental disaster. Acrylic, a common ingredient in workout clothes or dresses, for example, is derived from petroleum, as is nylon. Petroleum is derived from crude oil, i.e. fossil fuels, meaning they are not sustainable.

The further we move away from natural fibers like cotton, which are more expensive and water-intensive to grow and process, the more we wear toxic clothing. Scientists and entrepreneurs are constantly introducing new ways to create fabrics and clothing. The future of clothing is about spider silk, recycled waste or algae.

Spiber is a Japanese company that makes materials using spider silk. Spiber has been working on prototype clothing using its product, including a collaboration with North Face on a jacket. Spiber isolates proteins from spiders and then synthesizes fibers in a laboratory through a process of fermentation using sugars and microbes and then a spinning process that turns the polymers into threads.

Adidas is using bio fabrics similar to spider silk to make breathable sneakers. The company has introduced the world’s first major bio fabricated shoe. To make the shoes, Adidas worked with Amsilk, another German company. This is a material made up of synthetic proteins, designed to produce the same toughness as natural spider silk.