Strategy January 07, 2019
Innovation Watch: Seaweed Tees & Vegan Jackets
Such offerings form part of a new collection from eco-minded apparel brand Pangaia.
Seaweed just may be the new eco-chic, if one new brand has its way.
Pangaia, a new “global collective” focused on creating environmentally sustainable apparel, has launched a line that includes tees made from organic cotton and 20% seaweed fiber. Each piece is finished with a peppermint oil treatment, which Pangaia says will allow you to wear it up to 10 times without washing. The reduction in washings helps conserve water.
Greenies will also appreciate Pangaia’s puffer jacket, which is hand-filled with wild flower down. The company described it as breakthrough vegan technology that came about through 10 years of research. The outer shell is made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials and plastic bottles. Downside: It’s a limited edition release and only 100 are on sale.
Pangaia Flower-Down Puffer Jacket. Available here.
Beyond the tees and puffer jacket, Pangaia’s initial collection includes a hoodie and track pants, both of which are made from recycled materials and plastic bottles.
The brand says all garment logos and prints are created using water-based PVC-free ink, while respecting the Restrictive Substance List. Every Pangaia product comes in TIPA packaging – described as a bio-based, plastic alternative that Pangaia says disappears within 24 weeks in a compost bin.
Pumping more 21st Century tech into the mix, Pangaia products feature a Near Field Communication technology tag that, when scanned using the brand’s app, allows customers to check authenticity and review information about the product. Furthermore, 1% of proceeds from each Pangaia product will be donated to 5 Gyres, a non-profit organization focused on tackling plastic pollution. Lastly, Pangaia has teamed up with The Renewal Workshop to make sure that each Pangaia product is repaired and upcycled, or recycled.
While the collection features an eco-tech approach that has some green-minded consumers excited, the drawback is the pricing, which some criticized on social media as too cost-prohibitive for average folks. For example, the T-shirt, hoodie and track pants range from $150 to $300. The flower-down puffer jacket is $900.
Still, the Pangaia collection is worth taking note of for promotional products professionals. Today’s innovations can eventually become tomorrow’s sought-after standards. With Millennials and Gen Zers, to whom sustainability and socially responsible production are important, accounting for ever greater percentages of buying power in the consumer and B2B worlds, we think green-driven developments are going to play an ever bigger role in propelling apparel sales at retail and in the branded merchandise realm in the years ahead. We’re not saying Pangaia is taking over tomorrow, of course, but these types of eco developments – done more cost-effectively – are what many younger consumers want in the threads they wear.