A tech startup in Palo Alto, Calif. has found a new sustainable source material for 3D printed fashion: strong wool, all the way from New Zealand.
Variloom, which 3D prints customizable garments for fashion brands, has exclusively partnered with Wool Source, a state-backed firm in New Zealand producing bio-based materials from wool.
Bethany Meuleners, head of venture at Variloom, told Sourcing Journal that the partnership sees both companies at an inflection point as sourcing transparency becomes the bare minimum in the fashion industry, as opposed to a competitive edge.
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“By working with a raw materials partner that is Cradle to Cradle-certified with a fully traceable supply chain, we’re designing responsibility into the material from the very beginning,” she said. A Cradle to Cradle certification is an international standard given to products that are designed for a circular economy.
The partnership would grant Variloom’s 3D printing ambitions an edge in the textile space, not to mention a softness that can only come from Wool Source’s patented technology.
Wool Source, which essentially manufactures ingredients, turns the protein fiber into bio-based materials such as powder and pigments—all the while retaining its natural properties like its odor, oil absorption and pollution control.
This would mark a significant step for Variloom as it prepares to commercialize its operations after spending over half a decade honing its craft under research and development.
Along the way, its work has earned industry recognition, winning accolades such as the prestigious Red Dot Award in Product Design last April for its 3D composite puller which it co-developed with Japanese firm YKK Corp., the world’s largest zipper manufacturer.
The process itself is a business model for more art and less waste. With a 3D system capable of a range of sizes, Variloom uses a precise method to create fashion, with less textile waste and a significantly shorter production that can be integrated within a brand’s existing supply chain.
This would add another tool in Variloom’s belt, which also has a patent-pending soft material developed specifically for its 3D printing system. Variloom said goods made with its material filament can be mechanically recycled up to three times without losing material integrity.
Ultimately, Meuleners said this partnership with Wool Source sends a message to the fashion industry that creativity does not have to come at the price of sustainability.
“Because our system is fully customizable—the material, the performance properties, the design—brands don’t have to compromise to do that,” she said. “What we’ve developed in partnership with Wool Source is a signal of what’s possible when you combine innovation, sustainability, and a genuine love for product.”
