C.L.A.S.S. (acronym for Creativity Lifestyle And Sustainable Synergy) is a platform based in Milan that is helping fashion companies to integrate eco-responsible values into their collections (read more here). Last automn, Le Boudoir Numérique met its project coordinator Camilla Carrara, at Première Vision trade show, to talk about its projet CO.LAB, composed of three innovative and sustainable garments collections.

By Ludmilla Intravaia 

Le Boudoir Numérique : You developed a project called CO.LAB, as an answer to fashion companies increasing  demand for responsible and sustainable products. What is CO.LAB ? 

Camilla Carrara, project coordinator at C.L.A.S.S. : CO.LAB is a collaborative smart platform and a research-lab that aims to tackle some of the most pressing issues in fashion, such as responsible water-saving production and ethical treatment of animals.  We teamed up with one of our partners, Tintex, a portuguese manufacturer of jersey fabrics and with the garments manufacturers Becri, Confetil and Pedrosa & Rodrigues, three compagnies that have a strong commitment in sustainable innovation. Together, we created three ready-to-wear collections, a ready package, an easy solution that we can present to fashion brands, each collection having a specific focus, a unique story to meet their needs. 

Can you tell us more about these collections ? 

“Ecoperformer” by Confetil and Tintex Fabrics is a gender neutral active wear collection designed to fit the contemporary and multitasking urban lifestyle of millennials and generation Z consumers. It uses sustainable materials with a high level of technical performance for confort, ease and resistance (see pictures below, AN).

“Legacy H20” by Becri and Tintex Fabrics is a man and woman casual wear collection focused on responsible materials guaranteeing that less water is used in all aspects of sourcing, design and fabrication. All the fibers, fabrics and materials that have been selected for this elegant and confortable minimalistic collection go in that direction (see pictures below, AN). 

The last collection is “Sensing Smarts” by Pedrosa & Rodrigues and Tintex Fabrics. The aim of this easy-to-wear and soft-touch garments range is to reduce the use of chemical products to the absolutely bare minimum, for instance to use innovative additives from the next generation of chemistry that are less impactful on the planet than more conventional ones (see picture below, AN).

These three collections are also certified Peta approved vegan, the label of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals association that guarantee that no fibers or substances from animal origin are used in the fabrics and accessories of CO.LAB.

Are the brands sensitive to the cruelty free value ? 

Yes. That’s more and more important for brands now. They are asking for labels like Peta approved vegan. Not all of them but more and more of them. We build our projects around the needs, the requests and the feedback of brands that are really interested in having ready solutions like CO.LAB. When cruelty free certifications come on top of that, they really appreciate it. 

How can you help brands with CO.LAB ?

If you are a brand and that you like one of the collections, you can take it as it is. If you want some changes, in order to create your own style, we can work together and provide you with the supply chain. If you want active wear garments, you’ll choose to collaborate, for instance with Confetil for the design or with Becri, if you are looking for casual wear. It’s not just about sustainable sourcing but also about sustainable design strategy througtout your collection, from fabrics making to style development, production as well as marketing and communication. Because at the end we need to speak out loud about these fundamental values, these three dimensions that must go together : creativity, innovation and responsability. 

* Find C.L.A.S.S. website here. 

* Continue reading on Le Boudoir Numérique with this interview of Giusy Bettoni, founder of C.L.A.S.S. : “Fashion tech and sustainability have to go together”. 

* Le Boudoir Numérique met Camilla Carrara at Première Vision, last automn. The next edition of this trade show for fashion professionals will take place from February 11 to 13, 2020, in Paris Nord Villepinte. More info on the event website here.