The designer’s sustainable collection can be worn as lingerie or swimwear and aims to stop the “colossal amount of waste the fashion industry produces year after year”.
Called Stellawear, the line, consisting of bandeaus, briefs, and bodysuits can be worn as lingerie or swimwear and are made from better-for-the-Earth materials, such as Roica Eco-Smart yarn, which is made from pre-consumer recycled content. Other materials include Econyl—regenerated nylon made from carpets, fabric waste, and fishing nets.
According to the much-lauded documentary Seaspiracy, fishing nets make up 46% of the plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is three times the size of France.
McCartney says, “We must stop and consider this waste, and we should buy less and buy better. The change is not only going to come from us as an industry, but also from consumer behavior.”
Stellawear’s pieces are UV-tested and safe for both chlorinated and salt water. McCartney says she hopes the collection will inspire consumers to buy less and wear her pieces more.
“They’re made from a sustainable fabric that is built to last,” she said.
The company has been using Econyl since 2017 when Stella McCartney partnered with Parley for the Oceans. The non-profit organization upcycles plastic from ocean waste.
Founded in 2001, Stella McCartney has long since been a pioneer in sustainable fashion. Its vegetarian leather is made with recycled polyester instead of Brazilian calf leather, which has 24 times less of an impact on the environment. In addition to consuming resources, the process of turning cow skin into leather produces pollutants, which are often toxic. Its use of sustainably sourced viscose shows 150 million trees don’t have to be cut down each year to produce the fabric.
In March, the brand introduced the world’s first-ever garments made entirely with biotechnology company Bolt Threads’ sustainable mushroom leather. Known as Mylo, the vegan leather is natural and biodegradable.
The Adidas by Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection also favors sustainability. The activewear collection, called FUTUREPLAYGROUND, features ocean plastic waste and recycled materials from Parley for the Oceans.
In addition to animal-derived leather, the company is proud to say it has never used fur, animal skins, or feathers in any of its products.
McCartney also recently launched a campaign to call for an end to fur cruelty. The Our Time Has Come campaign was launched in partnership with animal rights organization Humane Society International.
