Ralph Lauren unveils cotton-based performance apparel

Fashion brand Ralph Lauren has revealed the RLX CLARUS® Polo Shirt, exclusively at the 2022 Australian Open Tennis Tournament, which showcases the company’s latest product innovation and environmental efforts.

The Ralph Lauren RLX Clarus Polo Shirt, made using the “world’s first” high-performance cotton fabric, uses a first-to-market patented platform to change virgin and recycled cotton in ways the brand claims were not previously possible.

The method produces improved cotton fibers with high-performance properties such as quick-drying and moisture management while keeping the comfort and breathability of cotton. The resulting material is said to perform similarly to synthetic fabrics made of plastic, such as polyester and nylon, which rely on petroleum-based fossil fuels for performance.

The textile innovation was developed by a sustainable material science start-up, Natural Fiber Welding, Inc (NFW). NFW seeks to transform plant-based, upcycled fibers – such as cotton waste – into high-performance materials.

David Lauren, chief branding and innovation officer, said that Ralph Lauren is famed for its timelessness, and for more than 50 years, being timeless has meant embracing its history while also encouraging pioneering innovation. They’re utilizing their most iconic product, the RLX Clarus Polo Shirt, as a canvas to debut an industry-changing and scalable textile technology — a high-performance apparel product made with natural fibers for the first time. They’re happy to continue the brand’s tradition of signature and authentic style, which has been redesigned for the future.

The company is dedicated to investing in the infrastructure and technology needed to establish and expand a circular apparel economy, ensuring that clothing and materials can be reused. Ralph Lauren announced a minority investment in NFW in August 2020 as part of this effort to help scale its proprietary method and manufacture first-of-its-kind performance clothes derived from natural, sustainable materials. Ralph Lauren hopes to extend its usage of recycled cotton as a result of this investment, contributing to the company’s goal of procuring 100% of its essential resources, including cotton, responsibly by 2025 and incorporating zero-waste principles throughout its operations.

Ralph Lauren will be able to replace and reduce its reliance on non-biodegradable synthetics like polyester and nylon over time as a result of the cooperation while increasing the usage of more sustainable and recycled materials.

Luke Haverhals, CEO at NFW, said that they’re ecstatic to continue their collaboration with Ralph Lauren. They’re paving the route for total circularity with materials that perform similarly to plastic-based synthetic fabrics as a result of this collaboration. They’re pioneering an altogether new approach that allows all-natural performance fabrics while lowering waste and removing the need for synthetic plastics.

Ralph Lauren will be able to replace and reduce its reliance on non-biodegradable synthetics like polyester and nylon over time as a result of the cooperation while increasing the usage of more sustainable and recycled materials.

Luke Haverhals, CEO at NFW, said that they’re thrilled to continue their collaboration with Ralph Lauren. They’re paving the route for total circularity with materials that perform similarly to plastic-based synthetic fabrics as a result of this collaboration. They’re pioneering an altogether new approach that allows all-natural performance fabrics while lowering waste and removing the need for synthetic plastics.