Kelsun is described as soft, smooth, and versatile, suitable for both apparel and interiors while offering the look and feel of natural fibres.

On 30 September, the Stella McCartney Paris show featured a tank top crafted from Kelsun, a next-generation seaweed fibre developed by Keel Labs.

Keel Labs explained that it utilises alginate, an abundant biopolymer derived from seaweed, to create this eco-friendly fibre.

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Kelsun is described as soft, smooth, and versatile, suitable for both apparel and interiors while offering the look and feel of natural fibres.

This alginate fibre boasts a significantly lower environmental footprint than conventional materials.

The company pointed out that the fibre is composed of 100% USDA Biobased content and can integrate into existing yarn and textile production infrastructures.

Why use seaweed?

Keel Labs highlighted that up to 500,000 tonnes of microplastics from textiles enter global marine environments each year, harming ecosystems and human health. Additionally, conventional cotton production uses 2.5% of the world’s arable land, but accounts for 16% of all pesticide use, putting farmers’ health at risk.

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According to the company, seaweed, similar to trees on land, absorbs carbon dioxide from the ocean, making it one of the most regenerative organisms on the planet.

“It exists by harnessing the renewable power of our ocean’s resources alone. Kelsun is a promising alternative to conventional textiles on the market, being 100% biobased and biodegradable at its end of life,” stated Keel Labs. “By starting their process with seaweed, they reduce the reliance on land-based agriculture and the negative impacts associated with it.”

The seaweed material has already been embraced by brands such as Outerknown and Stella McCartney, as well as designers like Mr Bailey.

Keel Labs’ founders Tessa Callaghan and Aleks Gosiewski recently spoke to Just Style about their mission to make seaweed-derived Kelsun fibres a mainstream material in the fashion industry and reduce the sector’s reliance on unsustainable materials.