the future of fashion is
sustainable

What are landfill-bound fabrics?

Consider this: 15% of fabrics intended to be made into clothing never do. Instead, these fabrics are treated as waste and are sent directly to landfills. How does this happen? Think of a sheet of fabric like a rolled-out sheet of dough when making cookies. As you use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough, there will be dough leftover in between your shapes. In the same way, when mainstream fashion manufacturers cut out clothing patterns from fabric, there will be leftover fabric. Unlike extra cookie dough that can be re-rolled and re-used, the extra fabric is too small to cut additional patterns from so it is thrown away and adds to the tons of textile waste every year.

Why upcycle?

At laelap, we noticed early on that although these fabric scraps were too small to make human clothing from, they were the perfect size for dog clothing. We have since partnered with leading fashion manufacturers to purchase and upcycle their scraps, saving them from piling up in landfills. In doing so, not only have we found a source of high-quality fabric that does not require the use of additional resources in new production, but we are also bringing the notoriously wasteful fashion industry one step closer to a zero-waste future.

You can find upcycled fabric in the milo turtleneck top, sora onesie with hood, noma essential crewneck, and tobi fleece varsity jacket.

Why polyester?

Polyester is the fashion world's most dominant fiber, and for good reason. Not only is it lightweight and durable, but it is also water- and wind-resistant. Because of these qualities, it is the material of choice for functional outerwear, including our nobu reversible jacket. What’s lesser known about this wonder material is that it is made from polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, the same material as single-use plastic bottles. By using recycled polyester (derived from plastic bottles) instead of virgin polyester (derived from fossil fuels), we can simultaneously eliminate our need for fossil fuels and divert bottles from landfills and waterways.

How do you recycle plastic bottles into polyester?

It all starts with the collection of plastic bottles which are then shredded into flakes and thoroughly cleaned. These flakes are then converted into pellets, and the pellets can be spun into new, high-quality yarn with no difference in function or quality from regular polyester. Polyester created in this way not only reduces waste, but reduces carbon emissions up to 30% compared to virgin polyester.

You can find recycled polyester in the nobu reversible jacket.