Stella McCartney debuts BioSequins, the first plastic-free, plant-based sequin garment
On March 9, legendary British designer and green-fashion advocate Stella McCartney introduced BioSequins, a revolutionary design invention from Radiant Matter.
A true revolution in the world of fashion, BioSequins offers a path forward for the fashion industry, presenting a pioneering vision for environmentally conscious design. It is only fitting this has been used for the first time ever in a garment, specifically a jumpsuit, by McCartney, whose brand has been PVC-free since 2010.
BioSequins were created by Radiant Matter, a material innovation company with the goal of making sustainable alternatives within the textile industry. They are made from cellulose, meaning they are renewable, abundant, and most importantly, biodegradable. Their glittering shine comes from minerals and metals, which are associated with mining and thus offer an ethical supply chain for their creation.
A closeup of the BioSequins, courtesy of Radiant Matter.
“I am amazed by the iridescent beauty of our BioSequin all-in-one, handcrafted in my London atelier from plant-derived, non-toxic sequins that are even more stunning than conventional options,” said McCartney in a press release. “Who says sustainability can’t be sexy?”
The fashion industry is a major contributor to climate change, with synthetic materials such as those used to craft sequins, requiring an annual total of nearly 342 million barrels of oil per year.
A closeup of a single BioSequin, courtesy of Radiant Matter.
Radiant Matter created BioSequins due to the detrimental effects sequins and similar textile materials wreak on human and environmental health. According to Radiant Matter, “every fabric that sparkles, glitters or has a reflective property contains a high percentage of petroleum plastic, toxic coatings or metallized parts. Conventional sequins are made of polyester film (Mylar) or vinyl (PVC) which causes particularly significant environmental and health risks, producing toxic, bioaccumulative chemicals, including carcinogens such as phthalates and hormone disrupters.”
The BioSequins jumpsuit is not yet available for purchase, rather the brand wished to demonstrate the work Radiant Matter is partaking in, showcasing what the future of textile materials and design at large could and should look like in the coming years.
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Thomas Publow is a contributor at Glossi Mag. Currently finishing his degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University, Thomas considers himself an expert in all things VMAs and Beyoncé.
