1. SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: SPORT TREND ANALYSIS
By Anne Prahl, WGSN, 13 October 2011
Index
As sustainable practices incorporating the entire life-cycle of a product become increasingly evident across the
sportswear industry, WGSN explores the different life-cycle stages in view of existing and emerging opportunities for
designing, developing and consuming sportswear product in a responsible manner.
adidas Objet 3D printing Holly McQuillan at Zero Waste: Fashion Repatterned
exhibition
WGSN TAKEAWAYS
Innovative construction
concepts and rapidly growing
material choices inspire
interesting design solutions and
aesthetics
Eco design tools and metrics
offer designers support in
making educated decisions
about the impact of their choices
New technologies play an
important role in creating
leaner and more
environmentally friendly
solutions for sampling and
product development issues
The elimination of chemicals
and toxic substances from all
products is a key goal across the
sportswear industry
Creative "in use" and end-of-life
strategies finish off the complete
rethink of the total product
lifecycle
©WGSN 2011

2. Design strategies
As a significant percentage of the environmental impact of a product is determined at the design stage, designers are
beginning to explore new waste-reducing construction concepts and design for durability to extend a product’s life,
while also considering their rapidly growing material choices with the aim of minimising negative impact on the
environment.
Construction concepts
While many brands already claim to offer fully recyclable clothing and footwear, the difficulty is the recycling of components
and trims. This challenge calls for the development of viable disassembly concepts, such as a raincoat by Refinity that
features closures which "click" into the cradle-to-cradle certified fabric instead of zips, Velcro or buttons
Melissa mono-material shoes Raincoat by Refinity Holly McQuillan at Zero Waste: Fashion Repatterned
exhibition
Zero waste hoodie pattern by Timo Rissanen American Apparel's Creative Reuse programme
©WGSN 2011

3. In line with cradle-to-cradle thinking, Melissa footwear is mono-material and produced from 100% thermoplastic, which can
be recycled again and again
Zero-waste design aims to create waste-eliminating patterns, while working with cutting-room scraps can inspire new designs
for accessories
Good-quality design
In the pursuit of perfection, designers strive for extreme quality and durability in terms of materials and construction,
resulting in iconic items the wearer wants to keep for a long time
Many designers are avid sportswear and outdoor enthusiasts themselves and often utilise participatory design strategies,
involving the consumer to create product based on real end-user need
NAU describes its approach to design as timeless, using "investment colours" to guarantee product longevity, while its
transseasonally engineered pieces are versatile for unpredictable seasons and weather
Brooks Oxford cape Pedal ED jacket Participatory Puma athletic shoe design
Elimeno pea coat by Nau Nau transseasonally engineered jacket
©WGSN 2011

4. Material choices
Finisterre Zephyr merino vest Ethletic Fairtrade Greenstar Eco football made from FSC-
certified rubber
Nike recycled polyester and organic cotton blend football kit
New Balance newSky trainer made from 95% post consumer plastic bottles Puma biodegradable packaging
©WGSN 2011

5. Sustainable materials for the use in sportswear, footwear and equipment have seen an exciting amount of development and
growth in the last couple of years
Recycled polyester from post-consumer plastic bottles is extremely popular for swimwear, woven outerwear, fleeces and
performance knits, and is inspiring new aesthetics for footwear
Renewable fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp blends, Tencel and wool blends are growing in popularity in the sports
industry, while quirkier materials such as nettle and fish leather inspire unusual aesthetics and tactility
Material innovation does not stop at clothing and footwear: some exciting developments, such as Puma’s biodegradable bags
made from 100% cornstarch, are leading the way in sustainable packaging design
Salmon leather Hurley Phantom 60 Galaxy boardshorts
©WGSN 2011

6. Sampling, development & production
A designer's job does not finish with handing over the specs, as consideration along the whole product development stage
offers opportunities for utilising sustainable alternatives.
Today’s designers are able to tap into eco design tools and metrics to help make design choices, while new technology
allows them to create leaner and more environmentally friendly processes across development and production.
Eco design tools and metrics
In recent years, industry has witnessed the launch of an unprecedented number of individual design tools, metrics, standards
and certifications, as companies work towards assessing and reducing their environmental impact
Nike’s open-source environmental design tool was launched to help designers make choices about the impact of their designs
Nike Considered Design
Sustainable Apparel Index by Sustainable Apparel Coalition
Nike environmental apparel design tool
Zimstern bluesign-certified product at ISPO autumn/ winter
2011/12
©WGSN 2011

7. and is based on its own Nike Considered Design Index, used for creating the Nike Considered collections
The Outdoor Industry Association Eco Index is described as a ground-breaking environmental assessment tool designed to
advance sustainability practices within the outdoor industry and is also available to other industries
The bluesign standard claims to ensure that the entire textile production chain - from raw materials and component suppliers
who manufacture yarns, dyes and additives, to textile manufacturers, retailers and brands - has a proactive tool at its disposal.
The standard is extremely popular in the outdoor and snow sports industries
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition - an industry-wide group of leading apparel and footwear brands, retailers, manufacturers,
non-governmental organisations and academic experts - recognises the need for collaboration and sharing of knowledge,
having developed a common metrics-based tool for measuring the environmental and social performance of apparel products
and the supply chain
Sampling and prototyping
adidas Objet 3D printing
Optitex 3D Runway Designer
Freedom of Creation 3D printed textiles
OptiTex for sportswear
©WGSN 2011

8. Virtual prototyping and 3D simulation is widely regarded as the way forward for dramatically changing the entire
development process, by reducing costs, material waste and shortening the pre-production cycle
Software systems such as Optitex and Browzwear enable designers to see their ideas in true-to-life 3D simulations without
having to develop any physical samples
3D printing and rapid prototyping technologies produce actual 3D prototypes, good enough for design verification, and are
promoted for their inherent environmental benefits: the technology leaves behind virtually no waste and reduces travel miles
and fabrication time
Components, chemicals and colouring
Nike, adidas, Puma and H&M have already committed to the Greenpeace Detox campaign, launched in July 2011, which
aims to remove all hazardous chemicals from brands’ entire product portfolios by implementing individual Detox Action
Plans
Greenpeace activists project messages at the Nou Camp Stadium, Barcelona Tiong Liong water-based dot lamination at Techtextil 2011
A Lot To Say tee printed with AirDye Mutoh Mubio ink Fjallraven Eco Trail jacket
©WGSN 2011

9. As reported from this year’s Techtextil, water-based lamination processes which don’t use any solvents and sustainable PVC
coatings are being launched into the market as alternative to existing harmful technologies, while Teijin’s Eco Storm is a
waterproof and breathable solvent-free film
Membranes like Eco-Shell are produced without harmful fluorocarbons, while the Sympatex membrane is 100% PTFE-free,
making them easily recyclable and 100% biodegradable
There are promising opportunities to improve the water footprint of colouring processes; DyeCoo’s machines use carbon
dioxide for the dyeing of materials while the AirDye technology employs air to help the dye penetrate the fibre, both
eliminate the use of water
As an alternative to screen-printing, digital printing eliminates the use of screens and water and manufacturers of digital
printing inks are increasingly launching products that are labelled as "eco-friendly" and "safe"
©WGSN 2011

10. Innovative in-use & end-of-life strategies
Creative thinking and design innovations provide product and service solutions for the consumer covering alternative
wash care, reuse options and recycling initiatives, which encourage more sustainable consumption of product.
Wash care
As the environmental impact of clothes cleaning and drying are significant, innovation for alternative wash care and reduction
or elimination for the need to wash all together is high on the agenda
Early developments of self-cleaning technologies by the US Air Force show great potential for adoption in the sportswear
industry. Various current technologies are based on the use of nano particles and coatings which make the fabrics repel water,
resist stains and kill off bacteria
Self-cleaning sportswear
The Xeros washing machine uses up to 90% less water than a conventional washer
NanoCare coatings for textiles
Mandy Pessler, a P&G researcher, using a computer
microscope camera to examine cloth fibres
©WGSN 2011

11. Low-temperature washing is already being heavily promoted to the consumer while scientists at Procter & Gamble have
developed newly formulated laundry detergents that wash most clothes in cold water, with the potential of saving huge
amounts of energy and greenhouse-gas emissions that are currently caused by heating water
The first waterless washing machine by Xeros Ltd claims to use 90% less water than a normal laundry cycle, replacing water
with tiny plastic beads that absorb stains, and may be available as early as the end of 2011
Re-use initiatives
Re-using sportswear, footwear and equipment is seen by many brands as a constructive way to extend the life-span of a
product, inspiring collection activities, charities, new services and product ideas within industry
Clothing banks in Kathmandu provide much-needed technical equipment to Nepal’s trekking porters, while also being
supported by charities and companies to facilitate the safe treatment, education and empowerment for the porters’
communities
Porter clothing bank in Kathmandu
Columbia Sportswear reused box programme
Howies Hand-Me-Down collection
Sports Traider sportswear and equipment collection
©WGSN 2011

12. Howies’ "Hand me down" collection inspired the consumer to think about their purchased items from a long-term
perspective, enticed by a 10-year guarantee
The SportsTraider concept is a community-based initiative, which helps to remove barriers that may exclude young people
from participating in sport by providing access to sportswear with a mix of new and pre-used stock
The idea of reuse successfully extends to packaging: Columbia’s re-used box initiative has already inspired 60% of online
customers to select the previously used cardboard box option
End-of-life options
Collection and recycling systems are already popular in the outdoor industry with brands promoting either own-brand or
industry-wide collection systems
The Patagonia Common Threads Program is one of the most well-known systems, despite not offering any financial
incentives to its customers, while smaller brands such as Klättermusen offer to pay consumers back their deposits worth from
Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover PYUA recycling initiative London College of Fashion recycling project for Speedo
Nike Grind components Nike Grind recycled rubber floor
©WGSN 2011

13. €1-20
Obsolete stock is not at the end of its life, but it is common practice to destroy large amounts of surplus or faulty stock. A
recent initiative by Speedo illustrated the potential for finding alternative solutions by collaborating with designers and design
students on a series of recycling projects for its banned LZR Racer swimsuit
Nike’s Reuse A Shoe initiative aims to close the loop in the sporting goods industry by reusing the valuable materials in used
and unwanted trainers to create a new material called Nike Grind, which is used to provide sports surfaces to underserved
communities
©WGSN 2011