Bella Eco is no ordinary fashion label. The brainchild of Michel Schuhmacher, Bella Eco is an entirely sustainable fashion brand that produces activewear and undergarments that will completely break down into biomass and biogas in just five short years.
As one of the largest consumers of textiles per capita in the world, second only to North America, Australians are responsible for an enormous amount of textile waste. We contribute 6000kg of textile waste to landfill every ten minutes. It was upon hearing this staggering statistic, that Schuhmacher, the founder of the successful Bella Bodies fashion brand was struck by the urgency of the problem. Realising she could no longer ignore the environmental impact of her business, Schuhmacher went in search of a solution.
Cutting edge tech fuels this sustainable fashion brand
It was after coming across a cutting edge Italian fabric that promised to be both durable and biodegradable that Schuhmacher realised she had found her answer.
“Creating the Bella Eco collection with this fabric was my opportunity to be part of the change I wanted to see,” says Schuhmacher.
“It was the chance to create something that would stand at the forefront of the sustainable fashion movement in Australia and would set an example for the standards we should be striving for in this industry.”
A world-first in sustainable intimates and leisurewear, Bella Eco represents a really exciting transition towards more eco-friendly design in the textile world. Schuhmacher says their use of state-of-the-art technology means they are actively reducing their contribution to landfill waste and ultimately creating greater eco-awareness overall.
Say bye-bye to fashion landfill
Each of Bella Eco’s garments is made from biodegradable polyamide yarn – meaning that once the garment is thrown away and reaches landfill, it breaks down entirely into organic matter and biogas (natural gas produced from organic decomposition).
“The yarn we use is really extraordinary,” says Schuhmacher. “The biodegrading process can only start in the specific anaerobic conditions of a landfill, but in the meantime, it’s an incredibly durable material – to the point where our Bella Eco items will actually outlast most other intimate apparel brands by up to twice as long.”
Bella Eco believes that sustainable, ethical fashion is the only way forward for our society and our planet. Their mission is to make it easy for their customers to live ‘eco’, without needing to compromise either their taste for fashion or the functionality of their wardrobe.
Schuhmacher says the brands eco-friendly approach extends beyond their product range to include the entire shopping experience. Bella Eco also uses biodegradable bags and materials to package and ship their pieces to their customers.
“At the end of the day, we have a commitment to sustainability, and aim to be mindful and eco-conscious through every step of the process,” says Schuhmacher.
This post originally appeared on KBB on August 9 2019 and was republished on January 3 2022.
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