¡°I find making any type of textile interesting,¡± says Makiko Minagawa, the creative director of Haat, a textile-focused brand of Issey Miyake Inc. ¡°But when I think of myself wearing a fabric, I think natural fibers are better.¡±
As the former textile director of the Miyake Design Studio, a position she held for almost 30 years, Minagawa is surprisingly candid about the potential of eco-friendly practices in the clothing industry. There are, she explains, challenges to sustainable textiles that will take time to overcome, such as modern machinery¡¯s inability to cope with fragile natural fibers and the instability of some recycled materials.
¡°Issey Miyake has always been low-key about promoting its involvement in eco-friendly practices, but the company has been researching sustainability projects for a long time,¡± she says. ¡°For example, it first started using a biodegradable polyester over 10 years ago, but back then, we found that the fabric would deteriorate after only a year of being worn. It¡¯s one of those things that can¡¯t be easily used without investing time in experimentation and testing.¡±
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