From New York-based independent material designer Stella Harry Lee, the Mircogreen Shoe is a prototype sneaker that sprouts edible plants from its bacterial-grown synthetic material. The project consists of crocheted shoe uppers, which have successfully grown radishes and lettuce seeds through everyday use and exposure. While compelling and vibrant, the sneakers also conjure a dystopian future, where climate change has decimated factories and resources and …
The term “vegan leather” generally conjures a belief that any animal free-alternative is the undisputed ethical option, but this isn’t completely true. In reality, the most popular vegan leather—which is marketed as being much more sustainable—is 100% synthetic polyurethane (a cheaper, less durable material) made through the use of fossil fuels. Thus, its environmental impact is not so different from the material made from animal …
For most people, rice is a household staple—the basic yet completely essential ingredient to a host of dishes enjoyed all around the world. But to Crystal Lee Early and Natalie Mumford, the founders of 3 Women, the grain is also synonymous with fashion. Early and Mumford’s Long Beach, California brick-and-mortar store opened in 2018 as a vintage shop, until the duo started transforming repurposed textiles …
