Pangaia is an apparel brand and materials science company that is best known for its portfolio of loungewear made using innovative biomaterials. The company’s mission is to become “Earth Positive”, and at the heart of this mission is a dedication to environmental stewardship and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Guided by its mission, Pangaia uses natural and renewable materials instead of petroleum-based and unsustainable materials and the company aims to develop products which have a negligible impact on the environment.Apparel Brand Pangaia Goes Beyond Loungewear to Prove Its Worth as a Materials Innovator
Pangaia was founded in 2019 and it quickly established a foothold in the global apparel market following the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020. In particular, soaring demand for loungewear throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic helped the company to achieve revenues totalling US$75 mn in its 2020 financial year. Also, the company benefited from an increase in consumer appetite for environmentally sustainable apparel. In particular, the outbreak of COVID-19 put environmental issues under the spotlight and, in many cases, it inspired consumers to reflect on the environmental damage caused by the goods they purchase.
In the coming years, major strides can be expected from Pangaia in the development of environmentally sustainable products and processes. Indeed, the company looks set to make a significant impression on the global apparel market and beyond on the basis of these developments alone.
Table of Contents
SUMMARYINTRODUCTION
- Corporate structure
- Facilities
CORPORATE ETHOS, MISSION AND STRATEGY
- Environmental sustainability
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS AND INNOVATIONS
- Animal fibres
- Bio-based fibre and fill
- Plant-based fabric
- Linen
- Cotton
- Denim
- Alternative leather materials
- Bio-based and bio-synthetic dye
- Treatments and finishes
OUTLOOK
List of Tables
Table 1: United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 2020
List of Figures
Figure 1: Hoodie in the Pangaia X SDGs capsule collection
Figure 2: T-shirt from the Pangaia X Takashi Murakami capsule collection
Figure 3: A cardigan made using cashmere derived from recycled materials
Figure 4: A T-shirt made using C-FIBRE
Figure 5: A long puffer jacket made using FLWRDWN
Figure 6: A T-shirt dress made using FRUTFIBER
Figure 7: Track pants made using PLNTFIBER
Figure 8: Shorts made using Aloe Linen
Figure 9: A hooded dress made using cotton blend fabric
Figure 10: A pair of denim jeans made using PANettle fabric
Figure 11: A denim jacket made using PANhemp fabric
Figure 12: A wallet made using MIRUM alternative leather
Figure 13: A pair of sneakers made using Vegea alternative leather
Figure 14: A pair of track pants dyed using Colorifix dye
Figure 15: A hoodie dyed using Archroma’s EarthColors dye
Figure 16: A sweatshirt treated with PPRMINT
Figure 17: A sports bra treated with miDori bioWick
Samples
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Executive Summary
Pangaia has established a formidable position as a materials science company to be reckoned with, despite being a relatively young brand, according to this 31-page report called “Profile of Pangaia: a fast-growing apparel brand, materials innovator and environmental steward poised for success”.
The company has a comprehensive portfolio of loungewear which has hit the mark with a new demographic of consumers who value comfort and have been spending more time in their homes as a result of restrictions introduced to stem the spread of COVID-19.
However, the brand is proving its worth beyond loungewear with the development of high performance biomaterials which provide comparable performance, if not superior performance, to that of petroleum-based materials.
Conventional petroleum-based materials continue to be widely used in the apparel industry regardless of the negative impact they have on the environment but Pangaia is forging a path for the development of natural and renewable materials which have a positive impact on the environment.
The company’s efforts are not in vain. Online searches for environmentally sustainable fashion are increasing year-on-year, according to a global fashion search engine, Lyst. In fact, they have rocketed since the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 which put environmental issues under the spotlight. In many cases, the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired consumers to reflect on the environmental damage caused by the goods they purchase.
Looking ahead, Pangaia is well positioned to cater to the growing demand for environmentally sustainable fashion--not least because of the functionality that the brand’s innovations provide.
Such innovations include a high performance thermal insulation material called FLWRDWN. Unlike conventional insulation materials, which are typically made using synthetic fibres or animal down, FLWRDWN is made using biopolymer and wild flowers. Moreover, it is breathable, durable and thermoregulating.
Other innovations include a plant-based fabric called FRUTFIBER which is produced using materials derived from agricultural waste.
Typically, agricultural waste is burned, sent to landfill or disposed of in ways which are harmful to the environment. For Pangaia, the manufacture of fabric using materials derived from agricultural waste provides an ideal solution to the problem of pre-consumer waste in the fruit industry. Also, Pangaia believes that the inclusion of materials derived from agricultural waste in the manufacture of its fabrics enables it to offer products of higher added value.
FRUTFIBER is treated with an antimicrobial and anti-odour treatment called PPRMINT which is made using oil from the mentha piperita plant. Unlike conventional treatments, PPRMINT does not contain silver ions or other metals to help control odours trapped in a fabric. These metals can leach into waterways and can be toxic for wildlife, humans and the environment.
Pangaia has demonstrated a rapid pace of innovation since it was founded and the company has no plans to slow down. In fact, major strides can be expected from Pangaia in the coming years, not least in the development of biodegradable “alternative leather” materials, environmentally friendly dyes, and sustainable alternatives to virgin cotton fibre and virgin animal fibre.
Indeed, the company looks set to make a significant impression on the global apparel market on the basis of these developments alone.
