Environment

Freitag's F-abric clothing belongs in the compost ... eventually

Freitag's F-abric clothing belongs in the compost ... eventually
Brothers and company co-founders Daniel and Markus Freitag (hard to say which one is which), with rolls of their material
Brothers and company co-founders Daniel and Markus Freitag (hard to say which one is which), with rolls of their material
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Brothers and company co-founders Daniel and Markus Freitag (hard to say which one is which), with rolls of their material
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Brothers and company co-founders Daniel and Markus Freitag (hard to say which one is which), with rolls of their material
The material is made from a blend of flex and hemp fibers, along with modal fibers (a type of rayon) made by spinning cellulose obtained from beech trees
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The material is made from a blend of flex and hemp fibers, along with modal fibers (a type of rayon) made by spinning cellulose obtained from beech trees
F-abric will reportedly biodegrade completely within about three months, once placed in a compost heap
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F-abric will reportedly biodegrade completely within about three months, once placed in a compost heap
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We've already got biodegradable shoes and bikinis, but how about just regular ol' shirts and pants? Well, while existing natural materials such as cotton and wool will biodegrade under the right conditions, Zurich-based clothing manufacturer Freitag is producing clothing made from fabric that's specifically designed for quick and easy composting.

Known as F-abric, the material is made from a blend of flex and hemp fibers, along with modal fibers (a type of rayon) made by spinning cellulose obtained from beech trees. Additionally, a special weaving process contributes to the textile's ability to readily disintegrate once composted, as does the use of wood pulp-based Tencel yarn for sewing the sheets of F-abric together.

In order to keep its carbon footprint low, the company has also made a point of using all-European growers and manufacturers.

The material is made from a blend of flex and hemp fibers, along with modal fibers (a type of rayon) made by spinning cellulose obtained from beech trees
The material is made from a blend of flex and hemp fibers, along with modal fibers (a type of rayon) made by spinning cellulose obtained from beech trees

The end result is a line of clothing that will reportedly biodegrade completely within about three months, once placed in a compost heap. Needless to say, in order to maintain your green credibility (and to get your money's worth), you'd want to wear and mend the heck out of the stuff before getting to that point. The buttons aren't biodegradable, but are designed to be unscrewed from the clothing for reuse.

F-abric was originally conceived as a type of workwear for Freitag employees. The product line now consists of men's pants, men's and women's shirts, and a bib dress. They should be available in the company's stores in Europe, as of Oct. 31st. There's currently no word on price, although they likely won't be cheap.

Source: Freitag via Sportswear International

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1 comment
1 comment
Bob Flint
So would keeping these in a dirty hamper near a window for a few weeks start the degrading?
Bad enough textiles don't last long enough, although quality pants, and suits can go for decades, if you don't mind the "fashion buzz" almost indefinitely, till it properly wears out.
My old t-shirts become rags, and they will eventually be composted in due time.