New Made-in-LA Activewear Uses Microalgae for Moisture-Wicking
Utah’s WNDR Alpine made its new microalgae-oil-coated performance apparel at Lefty Production‘s Los Angeles garment manufacturing facility.
Last week the four-year-old Salt Lake City ski gear maker announced the launch of the Made-in-America Phase Series apparel collection, its first foray into activewear. A subsidiary of California biotechnology company Checkerspot, which specializes in creating unique oils that replace conventional polymers, WNDR Alpine has long used microalgae oil to replace non-renewable plastics in its skis and snowboards. Now, it’s using it in clothing, working with Swiss green chemistry innovator Beyond Surface Technologies to create an all-new compound.
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The material, dubbed MiDori BioWick WA, is a petroleum-free textile finish that is designed to wick moisture away from a wearer’s skin. Its carbon footprint is said to be 80 percent lower than conventional wicking finishes, while delivering the same performance qualities.
WNDR Alpine founder and general manager Matt Sterbenz was interested in expanding the microalgae-powered technology’s applications beyond athletic equipment. “I think of the Phase Series as an important part of our progression to bring bio-based innovation to life through products that benefit the mountain athlete,” he said. “The collection’s name is a tribute to the many different environments, situations, and phases of the day in which we envisioned the use of this apparel in our core community.”
The five pieces in the Phase Series were developed using recycled and biobased materials beyond the MiDori microalgae coating, he added. Recycled nylon, recycled elastane and Tencel add performance qualities such as stretch and comfort. Priced at $65-$135, the collection offers long and short-sleeve shirts, a unisex hoodie, and men’s and women’s all-purpose pants. Fabric for the Isotrope shirt and Stasis unisex tee comes from Taiwan, while Portugal supplies the material that makes up the Advect genderless hoodie.
“Expanding the reach and impact of microalgae-derived materials is critical to us, so we designed the Phase Series for exertion, recovery, and everything in between,” WNDR Alpine soft goods manager Romy Koles said. “The Phase Series is packed with hidden features that embody both performance and minimalism, to create a package that’s equally comfortable for biking, hiking, urban wear, and anything our community might be up to in between alpine activities.”
Producing close to market supports WNDR Alpine’s sustainability profile. “To further support our mission of environmentally responsible performance, we’re utilizing a U.S.-based production house and fulfilling directly to our community via carbon neutral shipping from our Design Lab in Salt Lake City,” he said of the company’s decision to manufacture at Lefty‘s facility in L.A.’s Fashion District.
With the launch of the limited collection, WNDR Alpine aims to generate awareness for its performance textile solutions like MiDori. “It is the full package that sets it apart and makes it an industry first,” Beyond Surface Technologies CEO Matthias Foessel said. “This is a plug-and-play solution that enables mass volume adoption to empower the entire apparel industry players to lower their carbon footprint and meet environmental impact targets.” MiDori is commercially available now to brands and designers.
Last month, WNDR Alpine owner Checkerspot received the SXSW Innovation Award in Design in partnership with studios What For Design and Fun Stuff Design. Their winning submission, dubbed the Pollinator Kit, was a polyurethane casting system that enables product designers to make traditionally plastic footwear and apparel inputs like eyelets and zipper with bio-based content.
Additional reporting by Jessica Binns.
