Stella McCartney to use ocean plastic for upcoming fashion line
Having already designed trainers made from ocean plastic, fashion designer Stella McCartney has revealed that she will collaborate with Parley for the Oceans on a long-term project named Ocean Legends.
The British designer, who is known for her ethical approach to fashion, made the announcement ahead of today's World Oceans Day.
The partnership will see McCartney's label use ocean plastic instead of woven or recycled polyester in its products.
"Fashion is an industry that makes a significant impact on the health of the planet, and on its life support system — the oceans," she said.
"Our goal has always been to challenge ourselves and the industry to do better, to continually ask ourselves how we can improve. We want to be responsible and accountable for the items we make and the ways we make them. And we need to start somewhere in order to progress."
The Ocean Legends collection builds on McCartney's existing relationship with Parley for the Oceans through Adidas.
As well as being made from upcycled marine plastic, each piece in the collection will be dedicated to pioneers of the ocean movement, as a "symbol of recognition".
The first, which will commemorate Greenpeace co-founder Paul Watson, is an update on the existing Falabella Go backpack.
Made from recycled polyester fabric salvaged from the sea, it will feature the brand's signature braided Falabella chain across its pocket, as well as Sea Shepherd badges, also made from ocean plastic.
The bag is due to launch in 2017, but McCartney says it won't be obvious that it is part of this collaboration – and buyers probably won't know unless they read the tag.
"We're in a framework where we can deliver something to people," she told the New York Times. "It's not one piece that's overpriced or 50 pieces that look like they have been woven in your living room."
McCartney has already worked with Parley on a pair of trainers for Adidas, while Adidas has worked with the company on a number of products, including – most recently – swimwear.
Parley founder Cyrill Gutsch said designers and brands need to wean themselves off the plastic "drug" during an interview with Dezeen. His company has also partnered with G-Star RAW to produce collections of denim garments.
Waste plastic is a growing concern among both environmentalists and designers, who have created products to help raise awareness of the problem and proposed a variety of solutions.
An Australian duo has created a floating rubbish bin that filters litter from marinas, while a 20-year-old inventor proposed a 100-kilometre array of floating barriers to help the cleanup effort.