Yes, you read that right—cow manure could be the next major apparel frontier. While this might seem like the worst idea ever, it’s actually for a good cause. According to The Huffington Post, the “manure couture” comes as a result of a search for sustainable clothing.
The H&M Foundation gave five fashion innovators a $1 million prize for creating sustainable, “game-changing” clothing ideas. One of those winners, Jalila Essaidi, a Dutch artist and entrepreneur, created a very interesting clothing concept.
Essaidi’s fabric, Mestic, is made from the cellulose found in dried cow manure.
She explained that the wet materials in cow manure contain acids that can shift into a new material. The manure fabric can reduce phosphate and nitrogen, two harmful chemicals hurting the environment.
Since I’m sure you’re asking, Refinery29 reported that the material does not smell like cow manure, and that the clothes made with the fabric actually look “beautiful.”
Will manure couture go mainstream? That’s anybody’s guess, but with apparel trends migrating to sustainable fabrications, it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities.
