KIN + ALLY LAUNCHED AN ACTIVE WEAR COLLECTION MADE FROM PLASTIC BOTTLES
This Indonesian fashion brand launched its first activewear collection, ActiveKnit, which was made using waste plastic bottles turned into super fabric.
The issue of plastic wastes has long become an alarming environmental problem. Plastic waste takes hundreds of years to decompose naturally. Indonesian fashion brand, Kin + Ally, released its first activewear collection called ActiveKnit. It was made using waste plastic bottles, recycled into fabrics, in response to the growing issue.
Kin + Ally is a fashion label specializing in high-quality athleisure—sportswear that can also be worn for everyday activities—that is also comfortable to wear.
Co-Founder Kin + Ally Patricia Davina said that the idea of using plastic bottles came from her concerns about plastic wastes.
“So as we all know, we all live on a planet full of plastics. Because plastics can’t decompose naturally, they poison our waters, kill the animals, enter our food chain, and reduce our planet’s ability to eliminate carbon dioxide from the air,” Davina said.
Furthermore, Davina stated that the majority of activewear created today is made of plastic. As a response, the Kin + Ally brand took the initiative to do what it could to help alleviate the global problem of plastic waste. That is why the clothes they produce are made primarily of plastic waste.
The women behind Kin + Ally
View this post on Instagram
Founder Kin + Ally Natasha Eliane said that the idea of making an environmentally friendly activewear brand had been there since she lived in New York City, a few years back. She was inspired by the modern activewear and athleisure wear there, and by the movements on sustainability.
She asked Patricia Davina to join her in bringing her idea to fruition. Then, a couple of years ago, they began doing some research for the business. She looked into what materials were considered sustainable for activewear and found an environmentally friendly factory.
After that, they went to three textile exhibitions in New York and Indonesia. Natasha looks for a manufacturer that matches their vision and objective. While at the same time looking for the most innovative one. They want to make sure that the factory is truly legitimate and certified, rather than simply claiming to be environmentally friendly.
Both Natasha and Patricia actually went to the factories to verify whether or not the certifications mentioned by the representatives were really valid. Are the steps they take, from beginning to end, really safe for the environment and the human body.
“We can determine which factory shares our values. We were able to see which factories are innovative enough, and among the hundreds of factories we visited, we neared it down to 325 fabric samples before re-selecting the one material that we felt most comfortable with as our activewear material,” Natasha Elaine said.
Support women of any size
View this post on Instagram
The plastic-made products are Kin + Ally’s first collection. They launched two products; sports bra and legging. They featured neutral colors—black, grey, and navy—which came in five different sizes, from XS to XL. They want to support women with different body sizes.
“We want to make sure our production clothes have sizes that match the majority of women's sizes because so far there are only certain sizes of activewear,” Natasha said.
You could describe the design as minimalistic, ergonomic, dynamic, and timeless. They hope that their products can be worn over and over again for a long period of time. By producing timeless and quality fashion, they hoped that the clothe’s lives would be extended. They don’t want to contribute to the growing amount of clothes waste, as the fast-fashion world does.
How are they doing it?
View this post on Instagram
The ActiveKnit material used in this collection is created from plastic bottle waste collected in Taiwan. This product has also been approved to meet international standards for recycling items.
In January 2020, the team went to Taiwan to visit the recycling facility and the mill that manufactures their ActiveKnit fabric. The factory has been certified and guaranteed to produce safe fabrics.
Their factory partner is the first Taiwan factory that got a Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification more than 10 years ago. You could say they’re a pioneer in the sustainable fashion movement.
Plastic bottles were collected from designated recycling bins around the city of Taiwan and residential homes. After the plastic gets transported to the recycling facility, it is further sorted to ensure that only truly recyclable plastic goes through the recycling process. After that, the plastic is properly cleaned before being crushed into tiny bits.
Then, the plastic chips are melted down into pellets, which are then extruded into flexible yarn. The yarn is skillfully spun into huge fabric pieces. The result is a recycled super fabric called RPET. The fabric rolls are then meticulously transported to Jakarta, Indonesia, where they are cut and made into their leggings and bras.
Kin + Ally’s activewear collection is no different than others. It is wrinkle-resistant, quick-drying, four-way stretch, breathable, lightweight, and super soft. Don’t worry. It won’t feel like wearing plastics all over your body.
You could find them by accessing their website, www.kinandally.com, since September 1, 2021. The prices of the products range from Rp598.000 to Rp798.000.
#THE S MEDIA #Media Milenial #Kin + Ally #activewear #plastic wastes
