Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

House of Fluff’s New “Fur” and “Leather” Jackets Are Made Out of Plants

House of Fluff’s New “Fur” and “Leather” Jackets Are Made Out of Plants

The real-versus-faux fur and leather debate has raged on for years, and there’s never been a clear-cut winner. The real stuff involves taking an animal’s life, a choice animal lovers refuse to make, and though they’re marketed as “natural,” fur and leather are often treated with chemicals or even plastic.

Faux options, on the other hand, are typically made of polyester, which has its own environmental drawbacks: high-emissions manufacturing, micro-plastic shedding, and the fact that it’s made from oil (hence the term many have started using: “fracked fashion”).

                                

Where’s the middle ground? Kym Canter, the founder of faux fur label House of Fluff, has spent the past three years thinking about what comes next. Since she couldn’t find a natural, animal-friendly option that worked for her price point, she partnered with a textile developer to create her own plant-based “fur.” With her new collection of trademarked BioFurs and “cactus leather” jackets, she’s joining the likes of Stella McCartney, who introduced a faux fur made of corn last year, and Reishi, an innovator in the mycelium “leather” space.

                                

House of Fluff’s pieces are easily the most accessible and mood-enhancing: The BioFur hoodies, peacoats, and zip-ups are ultra-plush and come in a range of colors, from ivory and camel to lavender and an oddly soothing shade of cobalt-and they’re all under $500. Because Canter developed the textile (rather than purchasing it from a textile mill) and is selling the coats direct-to-consumer, there are no additional mark-ups. “If a lot of people can’t afford to share in these innovations, then what’s the point?” she says. “We want these to be easy to fit into your life.” The BioFur is made from a top-secret corn polymer, but it does require a bit of recycled polyester to hold the fibers together. “Our ultimate goal is to use no polyester at all, and to become fully circular,” Canter says. In the meantime, she’s found an innovative “upstream solution” to deal with the potential microplastics: Canter described it as an additive that’s used in the beginning of the textile manufacturing process, so if one of the coats somehow ends up in a landfill or in the ocean, the additive “kicks in, and a chemical begins to eat away at the micro plastics,” she explains. “It acts like a natural fiber and completely decomposes. That, to me, is an absolute miracle.” None of her peers are using the technology yet, but it could be a promising fix for our dependence on synthetics, which now make up the bulk of our clothing.

                                

Canter’s other big news is a collection of jackets made from cactus “leather,” a natural and sustainable alternative to animal leather. (Cacti have regenerative abilities and consume very little water.) “I looked at all of the plant-based leathers like apple and pineapple leather, and none of them felt luxe enough,” Canter explains. “When I found the cactus leather, it felt really luxurious to me, plus there are no pesticides [used], and after you harvest the leaves, they just grow back. It’s really incredible.” She said an oversized red trucker jacket has been particularly popular, but each one has the perk of being a conversation-starter. “I think there’s nothing better than having cool clothes with a great story,” she says. “People freak out when you say, ‘My jacket is made of cactus!’”

                                

In 2021, Canter plans to transition all House of Fluff coats, accessories, and home goods to BioFur and cactus leather, and she’s hoping to collaborate with other designers and brands who are interested in these materials. “We’re just at the beginning of such an incredible moment of change and innovation with textiles,” Canter says. “All brands should have this level of responsibility towards the products they’re making. It’s the only way we can move forward.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
×