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VEGAN Silk
Climb into bed or head out on the town in niLuu’s exclusive Vegan Silk knowing that your body is wrapped in a fabric that’s as sustainable, animal-cruelty-free, and biodegradable as it is stylish.
The fashion world has come a long way. While many ethical clothing brands have long championed a more conscious approach to fashion, phrases like “sustainable fashion” and “slow fashion” weren’t in the vocabulary of many fashionistas just a few years ago. Vegan clothing brands have started to influence how we think about luxury fashion brands as stylish customers have begun to prioritize ethical standards of production as part of how they define luxury clothing.
Today, we’re seeing an overwhelming wave of support for brands that prioritize social responsibility without sacrificing a chic aesthetic. niLuu proudly participates in this growing community with a contribution that is all our own: Vegan Silk.
If you’re interested in ethical clothing or conscious fashion you may have heard of “vegan leather”, even though there is a legitimate concern about the true sustainability due to the extensive use of plastics in the majority of these products. On the other hand, it’s entirely possible you have yet to be introduced to Vegan Silk, so we thought we’d take the time to introduce this vegan alternative to silk and answer your questions about vegan silk, and why silk isn’t eco-friendly.
Today, we’re seeing an overwhelming wave of support for brands that prioritize social responsibility without sacrificing a chic aesthetic. niLuu proudly participates in this growing community with a contribution that is all our own: Vegan Silk.
If you’re interested in ethical clothing or conscious fashion you may have heard of “vegan leather”, even though there is a legitimate concern about the true sustainability due to the extensive use of plastics in the majority of these products. On the other hand, it’s entirely possible you have yet to be introduced to Vegan Silk, so we thought we’d take the time to introduce this vegan alternative to silk and answer your questions about vegan silk, and why silk isn’t eco-friendly.
What is vegan silk?
niLuu’s PETA-Approved Vegan Silk means no silkworms are killed and absolutely no animal proteins are used in the production process. The majority of niLuu’s products are made using 100% Cupro also known as Bemberg™, a yarn produced in Japan, made by recycling cotton harvest waste - specifically the linter surrounding the cotton seeds. Cupro is produced in a facility that has “Zero Waste Emissions,” 99.8% of production waste is reused as fuel for power generation. Additionally, all niLuu’s yarns in its supply chain are manufactured in a closed-loop process (meaning energy waste is reduced by using exhaust heat which results in a reduction of CO2 emissions).
Although Cupro is classified as a man-made fiber, it is more accurately described as a transformed fiber; meaning it’s a natural ingredient that has been transformed to deliver the intended result. The process of making Cupro was less sustainable when it was invented almost a century ago, but the current closed-loop production by Asahi Kasei, our partner in Japan, ensures the fiber is made without harming the environment.
Unlike most vegan leather and other transformed fibers Cupro is biodegradable. Cupro loses 50% of its weight in just two months when composted; eventually leaving only mineral and vegetable traces when fully degraded. So, our Vegan Silk is sustainable to produce and will leave no trace when discarded. Additionally, it feels better than traditional silk and is fully sustainable.
Creating a sustainable clothing product means more than just environmental considerations, it extends to the treatment of all people involved in the process of creating your beautiful kimono, pillowcase, dress, or camisole. We only partner with companies that commit to fair wages and labor conditions.
Back to what makes a product certifiably “vegan,” we use cruelty-free vegan textiles that have been vegan-certified by a European organization - a first in the textile industry. That means you can trust that sneaky-derived animal proteins have been vetted out of the production process including egg yolk and bone marrow, often used as fabric softeners.
Although Cupro is classified as a man-made fiber, it is more accurately described as a transformed fiber; meaning it’s a natural ingredient that has been transformed to deliver the intended result. The process of making Cupro was less sustainable when it was invented almost a century ago, but the current closed-loop production by Asahi Kasei, our partner in Japan, ensures the fiber is made without harming the environment.
Unlike most vegan leather and other transformed fibers Cupro is biodegradable. Cupro loses 50% of its weight in just two months when composted; eventually leaving only mineral and vegetable traces when fully degraded. So, our Vegan Silk is sustainable to produce and will leave no trace when discarded. Additionally, it feels better than traditional silk and is fully sustainable.
Creating a sustainable clothing product means more than just environmental considerations, it extends to the treatment of all people involved in the process of creating your beautiful kimono, pillowcase, dress, or camisole. We only partner with companies that commit to fair wages and labor conditions.
Back to what makes a product certifiably “vegan,” we use cruelty-free vegan textiles that have been vegan-certified by a European organization - a first in the textile industry. That means you can trust that sneaky-derived animal proteins have been vetted out of the production process including egg yolk and bone marrow, often used as fabric softeners.
Is it biodegradable?
niLuu’s Vegan Silk is made using a Cupro-based fabric that is 100% Certified-Vegan and biodegradable. When discarded in a landfill it will break down naturally, losing half of its original weight in just two months.
"Creating a sustainable clothing product means more than just environmental considerations, it extends to the treatment of all people involved in the process of creating your beautiful kimono, pillowcase, dress, or camisole. We only partner with companies that commit to fair wages and labor conditions. "
Is silk sustainable? Is silk eco-friendly? Why do we need a vegan alternative?
Before diving anymore into detail about Vegan Silk, let’s take a step back and recap why there was a need for a vegan alternative to traditional silk.
Silk is made by silkworms, a larva that feeds mostly on mulberry trees, and spins a protective cocoon by secreting a protein. That tiny cocoon, typically no larger than three inches, is unraveled to create silk thread that can be up to about a mile long. It takes approximately 2,000 cocoons to create just one pillowcase. Most silkworms never make it out of the cocoons, given how precious the material is, the common practice is to boil them to kill the worm and keep the cocoon intact for harvesting the silk.
Our view is that all animals are living creatures that deserve better, especially given the advances in technology that provide us with an alternative that produces an even better quality of silk fashion. Vegan silk alternative to silk is all the more luxurious because it doesn’t require the wearer to feel ethically compromised to enjoy the soft, breathable feel.
Read more about the production of traditional silk in this piece from The Ethicalist, Silk: The Not So Shiny Truth About The Prized Fabric.
Silk is made by silkworms, a larva that feeds mostly on mulberry trees, and spins a protective cocoon by secreting a protein. That tiny cocoon, typically no larger than three inches, is unraveled to create silk thread that can be up to about a mile long. It takes approximately 2,000 cocoons to create just one pillowcase. Most silkworms never make it out of the cocoons, given how precious the material is, the common practice is to boil them to kill the worm and keep the cocoon intact for harvesting the silk.
Our view is that all animals are living creatures that deserve better, especially given the advances in technology that provide us with an alternative that produces an even better quality of silk fashion. Vegan silk alternative to silk is all the more luxurious because it doesn’t require the wearer to feel ethically compromised to enjoy the soft, breathable feel.
Read more about the production of traditional silk in this piece from The Ethicalist, Silk: The Not So Shiny Truth About The Prized Fabric.