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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Vogue Business or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Textile startup Everbloom has launched a novel, scalable solution to cashmere’s sustainability crisis after seven years of R&D
• By adapting technology typically used in synthetic fibre production, the company has developed a process to create fine natural cashmere with significantly lower environmental impact
• The innovation is now entering commercial production following pilot trials with several Italian luxury mills
🔭 The context: Cashmere’s rise in popularity — driven by fast fashion and mass-market demand — has led to overgrazing in Mongolia and China, with 70% of Mongolian grasslands already degraded
• Traditional production methods also rely on water- and chemical-intensive fibre processing
• The luxury industry has struggled to reconcile the fibre’s desirability with its unsustainable footprint, prompting calls for innovation in material sourcing and manufacturing
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Everbloom’s technology has the potential to drastically reduce land degradation and water use associated with cashmere by streamlining fibre production and minimising reliance on large goat herds
• If adopted at scale, it could offer the fashion industry a viable path to decouple luxury textiles from ecosystem destruction — especially in arid grazing regions facing desertification
⏭️ What's next: Following its commercial debut, Everbloom plans to expand partnerships with European luxury brands and scale production capacity
• The company may also explore licensing models or applications for other natural fibres
• Broader industry uptake will hinge on product performance, traceability, and price competitiveness in a luxury market increasingly sensitive to environmental metrics
💬 One quote: “Cashmere needs a future that doesn’t come at the cost of the land it comes from. We think we’ve found a way to deliver both performance and planetary care,” – Everbloom spokesperson (paraphrased)
📈 One stat: 70% of Mongolia’s grassland is already degraded — much of it due to overgrazing by cashmere goats, according to environmental assessments
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