Eastman is a global leader in speciality materials and through their partnership with Reformation, a fashion brand, the companies are now preparing for the launch of a new and sustainable January bridal collection. It is through the use of Eastman’s sustainable Naia™ cellulosic fibre, that Reformation was able to create three dresses that featured the Naia™ Renew ES.

The innovative material that was selected, creates a way to manufacture these dresses, in a way that helps the material to provide benefits of enhanced sustainability yarn, that has been manufactured from 60% certified recycled content. This material, once applied to the dress, was described by the brand as “like silk but better.”

Eastman was founded in 1920 and so far, the company has become globally known as a specialty materials company, who are developing a wide portfolio of products, that are put into use in everyday items for consumer consumption. The purpose behind creating these materials, is to achieve the goal of enhancing the quality of life via a material route, to do this, Eastman collaborates with customers, with the aim of delivering innovative products and solutions, whilst ensuring they remain committed to safety and sustainability. The company focuses predominantly on projects that are driven by innovation and an opportunity to grow, as they follow a model that emphasises the use of world class technology platforms, deep customer engagement and differentiated application development. All of these factors, helped the company grow towards its leading position based within attractive end markets, including sectors such as transportation, building, construction and finally, consumables. Eastman also aims to promote inclusivity and diversity within its company and this is shown through their commitment to employing an estimated 14,500 people throughout the world, whilst simultaneously serving customers who are based across over 100 countries.

On the other hand, Reformation was founded in 2009, their products have been carbon neutral since 2015 and they are Climate Neutral certified. They have dedicated their company and their growth towards portraying that it is possible for fashion and sustainability to co-exist. To do this, the brand works to combine stylish, vintage-inspired designs that are manufactured through sustainable practises. The company only releases limited-edition collections and these are aimed at individuals who want to be both beautiful and sustainable. Furthermore, Reformation aims to bring green measures into as many areas of the business as possible and through doing this, the company has remained at the forefront of innovation when it comes to sustainable fashion. One way they have remained at the forefront, is through running the first sustainable factory, based in Los Angeles. Within this factory, the company focus on using deadstock and eco fabrics, whilst they also track and share each product, so that they can display each item’s environmental impact. Through keeping track of this information, it allows the company to invest in the people and companies who make this sustainable fashion movement possible.

The material which Eastman has created, Naia™ Renew ES, is made from recycled content and this content is gathered through finding recycled material waste. This is done by using a GRS-certified mass balance process. This innovative material comes with multiple benefits, including the ability to combat waste pollution, reduce reliance on virgin materials and enable a lower carbon footprint. These benefits and its other properties, such as its ‘elegant drape, silky soft hand and luxurious lustre’, make up the reasons why Reformation chose this material. Along with these properties, the other reason why it was chosen, was because it differs from other cellulose-based yarns and fibres, through it requiring less virgin materials in order to manufacture an environmentally friendly product. Naia™ Renew ES is created out of 40% certified recycled waste material, 20% certified recycled cellulose and 40% sustainably sourced wood pulp.

It is through the excellent and innovative combination of Naia™ Renew Es with the fashion industry, that Eastman and Reformation have been able to create a sustainable and beautiful bridal gown, that does not compromise on either factor.

Global marketing leader for Eastman's textiles division, Carolina Sister Cohn, commented, "We're proud to offer a 60% recycled content fibre at scale to the fashion market. With Naia(TM) Renew ES, we offer a sustainable solution that meets the demands of both fashion and environmental responsibility. Together with brands like Reformation, we're making significant strides in transforming the fashion industry and inspiring others to embrace sustainability as a design decision."

Senior director of sustainability at Reformation, Carrie Freiman Parry, added, "Reducing our reliance on virgin silk is an important part of achieving our ambitious commitments to become climate positive by 2025. Innovative materials like Naia(TM) Renew ES help us drive sustainable fashion forward while continuing to deliver the high-quality, on-trend product customers love and expect from Reformation."