What will a garment look like fifty years from now? In December 2021, The Sign Speaking told the full story of how Azgard9 answered that question with CO2AT, "a living, breathing piece of cloth".
CO2AT is a poncho whose hood is treated with microbial pigmentation. Photosynthetic microorganisms take in carbon dioxide and turn it into glucose and oxygen, as plants do. During its life cycle, the garment releases oxygen and improves the wearer's immediate environment. As long as the living layer is kept alive, it keeps photosynthesising, gradually compensating for the CO2 generated in producing the rest of the fabric. It is estimated that the living part of CO2AT offsets in 4 weeks the CO2 that a one-year-old oak tree offsets in 4.5 weeks.
"While brands are thinking about their next collection, we have been thinking about collections of and for the future. In fact, about what garments may look like fifty years from now," said Azgard9 CEO Ahmed Shaikh. "So, we actually produced what could be part of every brand's collection in 2043."
CO2AT was designed as a wearable manifesto, shared with Azgard9's retail network, from large fashion groups such as LVMH to the biggest fast-fashion brands such as Zara. It carries the idea of Mainstream Sustainability: sustainability that is accessible to everyone. "As a 30- year-old business, we have produced some of the most incredible denim pieces for the world's top fashion brands, creating a network of people that have the power to make a change," Shaikh said. "It is our responsibility to use that in favour of a bigger cause."
Campaign photography is by Frederico Martins and Studio Numo.
Key facts
- PublishedThe Sign Speaking, December 2021
- Technologymicrobial pigmentation with photosynthetic microorganisms, developed with Post Carbon Lab, London
- Offset estimate4 weeks for CO2AT's living part, against 4.5 weeks for a one-year-old oak tree
- Shared withAzgard9's retail network, from LVMH to Zara
- Concepta garment from a 2043 collection
CO2AT captures what Future Before Fashion means: using a 30-year network of brand partnerships to move the whole industry forward.
