MORRISVILLE, N.C. — December 1, 2023 — Keel Labs joined pioneer luxury designer Stella McCartney at COP28 Dubai as part of “Stella McCartney’s Sustainable Market: Innovating Tomorrow’s Solutions.” The exhibit featured 15 innovators offering a glimpse at sustainable materials poised to reshape and redefine the fashion industry.
Keel Labs’ and Stella McCartney’s presence and partnership at Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) offered a first-hand look at next-generation materials being used in the fashion industry today. The international climate summit gathers the world’s highest decision-making body on climate issues and serves as one of the largest international meetings in the world. Hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this year, COP28 is providing a momentous opportunity for the world to come together, course correct, and drive progress to meet the goals and ambitions of the Paris Agreement.
“We’re thrilled to join Stella McCartney at COP28 and promote the necessary innovations that are needed to revolutionize the world of fashion,” said Tessa Callaghan, co-founder and CEO of Keel Labs. “It’s our mission to transform the textile industry and the world by harnessing the radical potential of our oceans, and we can’t do it alone. Bringing about change requires not only the development of biomaterials, but also policy, government support, and direct action from global brands to bring them to scale. At COP28, we’re proud to be propelling the adoption of next-generation materials forward.”
Featured at the exhibit was Keel Labs’ flagship product, Kelsun™ fiber — a seaweed-based material made from more than 75 percent seaweed. As a drop-in solution for existing yarn and textile production infrastructure, Kelsun is designed for scale. Kelsun utilizes an abundant biopolymer found in seaweed, one of the world’s most regenerative and carbon-sequestering organisms, to create an alternative to conventional fibers like cotton.
Stella McCartney’s participation at COP28, including the creation of a sustainable materials exhibit, underscores her commitment to sustainability and innovation and demonstrates the opportunity for biomaterials to positively impact fashion’s business interests while furthering the adoption of sustainable materials at scale.
“In my recent Summer 2024 runway show, we worked with the visionaries at Keel Labs on a seaweed-based yarn, Kelsun, grown from renewable and regenerative kelp that uses the ocean’s resources to protect it,” said Stella McCartney. “This could also offer a planet-friendly alternative to cotton, which accounts for 2.5 percent of the world’s arable land and 16 percent of all pesticide use. Kelsun uses 70 times less water than conventional cotton, and 100-percent less land and pesticide use. This is the future of fashion.”
Posted: December 4, 2023
Source: Keel Labs
