Future of Clothes
When you think of the future, what comes to mind? A utopian paradise or a dystopian world? And next, what are we wearing? Uniform bodysuits? Or futuristic clothing made with materials designed to enhance human performance, making us more capable than we ever thought possible? Nick and Steve Tidball, founders of Vollebak, have certainly envisioned this future. As extreme athletes pushing their bodies in some of the world’s harshest climates, they imagined a world where humans could reach extraordinary levels of performance with the help of science and innovative clothing.
Take lab-grown sweaters, for instance, a new frontier in sustainability. Developed in collaboration with Japanese innovator Spiber, this sweater is crafted from Brewed Protein™ fiber, a biomaterial produced by programming microorganisms with specific DNA sequences to generate proteins. These proteins are derived from a diverse database of hundreds of animals and insects, ranging from sheep and squid to spiders and crickets. Once produced, the proteins are spun into fibers that mimic the softness of cashmere or silk, offering thermoregulating and odor-resistant properties.
But is this sustainable? In theory, yes. Using alternative materials like DNA and advanced scientific processes to create fabric could significantly reduce carbon emissions and combat the growing waste problem in the luxury industry. However, there are still questions to be answered. Does the production process consume significant energy? And further down the value chain, is this material more or less biodegradable? These considerations will determine its true impact on sustainability.
The Tidball brothers' endurance experiences—running through deserts and scaling Alpine peaks—inspired them to create clothing that could withstand not just the Earth's extremes but also the galaxy's harshest conditions. One of their jackets, for example, incorporates aerogel, a highly effective insulator also used in NASA's hypersonic space parachutes, capable of withstanding speeds up to 12,500 mph. Vollebak even sourced surplus fabric from NASA's Perseverance rover project to produce this jacket. While only a small fraction of people on Earth would ever need a jacket with such extreme capabilities, its creation sparks a trickle-down effect, redefining luxury and innovation. For the average person, the jacket might not serve its technical purpose, but what it symbolizes—protection, durability, and cutting-edge design—has profound appeal.
Another fascinating creation is their Full Metal Jacket. Hailed by WIRED as “the virus-killing coat of the future” and named one of TIME's Best Inventions, this jacket leverages copper's natural antimicrobial properties to resist viruses and bacteria. While sustainability is often top of mind, this innovation also addresses the social aspect of ESG. In a world increasingly defined by the threat of viruses, such a product aligns with evolving sociocultural norms, providing both function and reassurance in uncertain times.
As noted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the textile industry is heavily dependent on non-renewable resources—using approximately 98 million tonnes each year. This includes oil for producing synthetic fibers, fertilizers for growing cotton, and chemicals for dyeing and finishing fibers and textiles. The primary area for improvement lies in design. It is at this stage that the linear production process begins, exerting massive and ever-growing pressure on the environment and natural resources.
Brands like Vollebak are taking a unique and innovative approach to addressing these challenges. By repurposing old materials, such as surplus fabric from NASA, or by scientifically engineering groundbreaking fibers in laboratories, they are paving the way for a sustainable future. Vollebak is not just creating clothing for the future in a physical sense; they are also shaping a theoretical framework for building durable garments that respect and utilize the planet's resources in an environmentally friendly way.
It all starts with visionary founders and thoughtful design. I’m excited to see what this brand will achieve in the future.
