Nathalie Ruelle: The fabrics of the future

未来的面料

In recent years, the awareness and commitment of key players in the textile sector has coupled with changing consumer habits and has led to the implementation of concrete solutions to promote a more ethical and responsible fashion.

What are the fabrics of tomorrow? Nathalie Ruelle, professor at the Institut Français de la Mode, fabric specialist, explains her point of view.

How do you see the fabrics of tomorrow?

Tomorrow’s fabrics are above all more traceable throughout the supply chain, that is, where the yarn and materials come from. It’s difficult to know where cotton or wool comes from, for example, or even to know if it’s recycled polyester or not. In parallel to that, there is a great axis of development, how to find new materials, since the main issue is to use new resources, but is it recycled fiber? New fibers?

Whatever the origin of the material, they need to be transparent about it. In particular, it is also to find new materials, and to fix the new sources of supply. This is the work in collaboration with the spinner. The spinners must succeed in making yarn with yarns that come from other materials. And this is not an easy thing at all. In parallel to this search for new sources of raw materials, the manufacturing process must have as little impact as possible.

In France, are designers and consumers starting to be sensitive to ecological fabrics?

Of course, when consumers think of eco-responsible fashion, they immediately think of materials: recycled cotton, recycled polyester, recycled materials or even labels. Consumers also think that Made in France products are eco-responsible, but a product made in France may not be an ecological product.

For the last 5 years , we have seen a return to a sensitivity and an expectation of ecological fabrics, but also a need for information or questioning about them.

Their interest has been growing since the end of the pandemic in Europe. It is not yet fully visible with consumer purchases, but there is nevertheless, a real expectation and curiosity about it.

Does bamboo fiber have a future?

The problem with bamboo fiber is that it started very strong in the mid-2000s when we labeled bamboo and not viscose. It’s very interesting because viscose from bamboo is a very easily renewable resource, very absorbent, and very soft. It is a product that has its qualities. But some problematic of bamboo fiber is the traceability and the transparency.

Lyocell, modal, have the same qualities of product and a greater traceability. In the textile profession, bamboo fiber must regain the reliability it had lost. It is necessary to know where it comes from thanks to its traceability.

This can work for a brand, if a supplier ensures the origin and is transparent, with photos and places, regarding the quality of the product. Viscose is made from bamboo, but it is still a viscose! It is therefore necessary, to classify them by brands. It is recognizable with the help of a tracer and with the ways of doing. I

f it is possible to demonstrate that it is bamboo and its origin, it would then have more chance concerning the future of the bamboo fiber. Also, it is necessary to know how to communicate the brand of bamboo viscose that it can be.

近年来，纺织业主要参与者的承诺与消费者习惯的改变相结合，导致了可持续发展具体解决方案的实施，以促进更加道德和负责的时尚。

未来的面料将是什么？法国时装学院教授、面料专家娜塔莉.鲁埃勒向我们解释了她的观点。

您如何看待未来的面料？

未来的面料首先是在整个供应链中，即纱线和材料的来源更加具有可追溯性。例如我们目前很难知道棉花或羊毛来自哪里，很难知道它是否是回收的聚酯。与此同时，如何找到新的材料还有一个发展的主轴问题，既然使用新的资源，那是使用再生纤维吗？还是新纤维？

但无论材料的来源是什么，都需要让信息透明化，这是寻找新材料和建立新的供应来源的关键，需要与纺纱厂合作完成的。让纺纱厂能够使用来自其他材料来源的纤维制作纱线，这不是一件容易的事。而且在寻找新的原材料来源的同时，制造过程必须尽可能地减少生态影响。

法国的设计师和消费者是否开始对生态面料更加敏感？

当消费者想到生态负责任的时尚时，他们会立即想到生态面料，例如回收的棉布、回收的聚酯、回收的材料，不同的认证标签。消费者常常认为法国制造的产品是对生态负责的，但法国制造的产品不一定是生态产品。在过去5年左右的时间里，人们对生态面料的敏感性和期望值有所恢复，但还停留在了解信息或质疑的阶段。自从欧洲的新冠疫情以来，他们对生态的兴趣一直在增长。虽然这在消费者的购买中还没有完全显现出来，但的确有一种真正的期待和好奇心。

竹纤维是否有前途？

竹纤维的问题是刚开始出现的时候非常强势，当时直接贴上竹子标签，而不是使用粘胶标签。其实竹纤维是非常有趣的纤维，因为竹子是一种非常容易再生的资源，竹纤维非常具有吸收力，而且非常柔软，它有独特的品质。但竹纤维目前的问题是信息缺少可追溯性和透明度。现在流行的新材料lyocell和modal，它们具有竹纤维相同的品质，但更多的信息可追溯性。

竹纤维必须重新获得它在纺织行业所失去的可靠性。如果供应商能确保原产地，并提供照片和生产地点信息，产品生产透明化，根据信息可追溯性，人们可以知道它来自哪里。这才是可行的。即使是由竹子制成的，但竹纤维仍然是一种粘胶!因此有必要按品牌对其进行分类。通过可靠的方式，可追溯原产地信息，不同品牌的竹纤维可以被识别。如果能够证明某个品牌产品的来源，那么这将为竹纤维的未来提供更多的机会。此外重要的是要宣传和沟通，让人们知道是哪个品牌的竹纤维是可靠和生态的。

Chinese version:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ZZbD2uz5OHSQesSgjaTjyg

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Numbers 07 2023