Pitti Uomo 103 | Best Sustainable Fashion Brands Showcased

As a result of careful research, ten strong international and inclusive brands were selected, whose designs, craftsmanship, and clear ethical goals stand out, exposing the coolest designers from all over the world. Each brand adopted sustainability practices that ranged from the widely famous upcycling, or using plant-based materials like corn turned into leather, to going back to the roots and collaborating with local artisans; dying with natural colors; and transforming home textiles into handcrafted designs. 

“The common thread of this edition is "back to the future", taking a step backward in order to move forwards” - Giorgia Cantarini.

ISNURH

ISNURH, a high-end, modern menswear brand located in Copenhagen, focuses on making good decisions and choosing the correct path. That mentality is evident in their products. ISNURH is forever changing, allowing them to experiment with new creative approaches while maintaining the highest quality in every season.

For their FW 23 collection, they chose to work with deadstock fabrics, recycled fibers, and Tencel which has been certified by Lenzing. Their shirts are manufactured without the need for water, using modern equipment that cuts and prints with biodegradable colors. During this process, as little waste as possible is produced, leaving only a small amount of waste that can be added to the soil and turned into the soil in as little as 30 days.

“We, as a small brand, do what we can to be responsible in the way of working with clothes. And we take big pride in working with people who has the same mindset”. Oliver Abrenica, ISNURH Co Founder.

JUNK

After reflecting on the challenging duality of responsibility and creativity, Junk Plastic Rehab came together through a collective of specialists in the luxury industry. Eyewear is created from waste (thus the name) using recycled plastic and fishnets forged with silver accents, increasing the value of the sunglasses and keeping them from becoming waste once again. Junk offers a very cool Y2k design and comfort.

For the team, adapting this type of recycled plastic to produce the sunglasses has been one of the most challenging parts; the mechanical characteristics and transparency of the plastic can take up to a year to complete.

“What we think about the business is that it needs to change model, we can’t go with fast fashion, buy, buy, buy and a linear economy must be over.” - Matteo Minchio, Founder of Junk.

KEMKES

Kemkes is a unique streetwear brand located in Amsterdam that creates its designs using second-hand home textiles like blankets, curtains, and couch coverings. In addition, they ask themselves this year, "How can we make sustainable made garments even more sustainable?" The answer is revealed in their ss 23 collection.

The collection is designed in a modular format, allowing each piece to be worn, styled, and altered in various ways. Because of the way the collection is constructed, it is also easier to repair. The garment only needs to be fixed on one panel, not the complete piece. In terms of fabrics, they moved beyond bedding this time, experimenting with items such as shower curtains and beaded fly curtains.

“Streetwear is really fashion behind on sustainability and now is the time to make a difference on that” - Luca from KEMKES.

MARGN

In 2020, the designers Ranjit and Saurabh Maurya founded MARGN, which is based in India. They emphasize the value of doing things by hand, and they look for a new craft every season. Each piece exhibits traditional craftsmanship recreated in a modern perspective, and the argyles and ikats for the brand are produced in collaboration with an all-women community in the Northern Himalayas.

Their SS23 collection focuses on combining craft and protection, drawing inspiration from their childhood in India. Natural dyes are used in the garments, and the technical textile is created entirely on a handloom.

“Sustainability has become already a common word and people kind of are involving more and more sustainable practices all around the world. I’ve seen there is a shift towards sustainable fashion because of all the climate changes and everything which is happening around the world, so I guess people are adapting to it and there are so many better solutions like people going back to their traditions.” - Saurabh Maurya, founder of Margn.

DHRUV KAPOOR

Dhruv Kapoor is an Indian designer that creates garments that represent revolution, change, and independence. Their creations are unisex and have a sartorial-sport flair.

By making 40% of its collections with waste fabrics, the brand compromises on a circular economy; it also collaborates with artisans from communities in India, supporting craftsmanship and continuing with traditions envisioned in a fresh and modern design.

PERMU

PERMU is a modern tailoring menswear company that emphasizes on the interaction with the human form and garments. Each collection is flawlessly crafted, with a focus on innovative garment pattern cutting and tailoring menswear with new technologies while combating waste. The two Chinese designers debuted at 2022 London Fashion Week, receiving critical praise after just two months of their debut and quickly becoming one of the most popular designer brands.

“PERMU is the abbreviation of “permutation”, We believe that replacement and fusion of different fashion styles would create new blood in the fashion industry.” - PERMU Founders.

The company is focusing on a new fashion model that allows buyers to have a voice in the design and choose the details. Permu pays close attention to detail in every piece, demonstrating their appreciation for the garment and its customers. Minimalism and aesthetics, combined with bold and avant-garde designs, are key inspirations for the brand.

MAXIME

Maxime is a contemporary menswear brand founded by Maxime Fruit to bring the world of interior design into fashion. The main focus of the designs is functionality, timeless pieces with simple silhouettes, and exceptional quality textiles.

This collection was inspired by the idea of finding beauty in imperfection. The time and historical features of an 18th-century house, such as ripped wallpaper, aging details, wooden flooring, and so on, were transformed into exquisite textured textiles, one of which was a hardwood floor-inspired jacquard with a brown mix. Knitwear, jersey, and accessories are included in the collection.

NON CONFUNDITUR

Non Confunditur is a 100% vegan brand based in Florence that promotes Italian craftsmanship through genderless bags, small leather products, backpacks, and belt bags. Everything in their products is carefully selected, from the glue to the zippers on the bags. It is the first company in the world to use cereal-based vegetable leather. Not only are their products light and soft, but they also have a daring, minimalistic design that makes each piece timeless.

“I really hope this year everything that comes from recycled materials will have more choice and that innovative material will be brought to production because there is never enough.” - Founder of Non Confunditur.

WASTE YARN PROJECT

The Waste Yarn Project is a brand that works with a knitwear manufacturer to find a way to develop new uses for waste yarn. WYP came up with a technique called The Wheel of Fortune, which allows them to combine all of the yarns and colors, making each design and pattern unique due to the randomness of the yarns. The wheel’s final product assures a smooth touch and high durability. Each piece in the collection is handmade and takes approximately twelve hours to complete.

“We keep having this disussions with the people in our factory; they are like, “Oh but is much easier if we just go and get that color” and we are like, “No, no! Thats not what we are doing”. We are trying to figure out a new system, its difficult but a good challenge” - Siri Johansen, Co Founder of Waste Yarn Project.

PIUME STUDIO

PIUME STUDIO is a Venice and Milan-based creative collective that designs sustainable accessories, shoes, and bags. Their goal is to elevate sustainable fashion and transform it into a new idea by combining comfort with sustainable materials, demonstrating a fresh approach to design. It is also produced entirely responsibly through a controlled chain of production using fully vegan raw materials.

The products of PIUNE STUDIO guarantee design, comfort, and quality since they are manufactured using thoughtful artisan techniques and special high-end Japanese vegan materials.

“A short supplied chain matched with sustainable materials is really the key to make sustainable fashion” - Edoardo di Luzio, Co Founder of Piune Studio.