From Fruit to Formalwear: How Pangaia is Changing the Evening Wear
Looking good shouldn’t have to come with a guilty conscience. That’s the ultimate goal of bettering the industry’s often toxic standards: proving that quality and style can coexist in a world where we can also make purchases that align with our values. Textile innovation is one of the most topical facets of the slow fashion revolution. From Tencel-Lyocell to recycled denim, there are many “friendlier” versions of casual clothing that have emerged. Still, it is usually hard to find formal wear that is both accessible and ethical.
Pangaia, the lifestyle brand that was first put on the map by its buttery-soft, ethically-produced sweats, has introduced yet another game-changing design: the Fruit Suit. Most traditional formal suits are made from cotton, wool, or twill. Wool and twill, crafted from a wool base, are renewable resources, but often (to assure durability) these materials are blended with less eco-friendly resources, like polyester.
With the Fruit Suit, Pangaia unveils formalwear as we’ve never seen before. The garments are crafted using the brand’s exclusive FRUITFIBER™ technology, which meshes together bamboo lyocell, pineapple leaf, and banana leaf fibers. What would typically be overlooked as trash or useless waste, is given a brand-new horizon through PANGAIA’s circular approach, which is applied to all of its pieces, from outerwear to knitwear.
I know you’re probably all thinking the same thing as you’re reading this, “How does fruit and plant waste get magically transformed into wearable clothing?” Well, the process that Pangaia takes to create these revolutionary pieces is nothing short of magic. These unexpected resources are turned into fine fibers that can be used to weave together a soft textile, finished off with a lustrous sheen. The two-piece set — tailored trousers and an extra-versatile blazer — may be a first of their kind, but they are not ignorant of timeless trends so the jacket and pants take on an oversized silhouette, reminiscent of power suits of the 90s.
Power dressing has never felt better. With this innovative technology, there are high hopes that these considerations will be considered by other brands and designers. We may not be sure exactly what the future of fashion looks like, but if we’re currently making suits out of fruit, I think it’s safe to say that the sky is the limit.
Article by Kayla Curtis-Evans, Contributing Sustainable Editor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Nicolas Harris, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine
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