Sustainable vegetable silk - Cupro

Cupro or vegetable silk is an extraordinary fiber of plant origin. It is characterized by its bright and shiny appearance like silk, but it is vegan. It is breathable, light and fresh. It is very comfortable and delicate on the skin thanks to its circular structure that does not create irritation, friction and discomfort on the skin and is therefore also suitable for sensitive skin.

Cupro is made from the small filaments that cover cotton seeds and that cannot be used to make cotton fiber because they are too short. They are therefore a waste by-product of cotton processing. These filaments are transformed into high-quality pure cellulose that can be extruded to obtain a particularly thin thread that is very similar to silk in both feel and shine. For this reason, cellulose fiber is also called vegetable silk.

Cellulose fiber is an artificial fiber, which with technological advances, is now produced to high standards of environmental sustainability. The cellulose fiber used in the garments we offer on the Altramoda website is produced by a Japanese company, Asahi Kasei, which invests heavily in environmental protection and aims to produce with zero emissions by recovering waste to produce energy. In 2016, the company achieved 99.8% zero emissions.

The company has obtained various certifications demonstrating its commitment to sustainable management of the production process and business management:

certification with the environmental standard ISO 14001 in recognition of the establishment of systems to continuously reduce and prevent the environmental impacts of its business activities, products and services
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for the yarn which ensures the absence of residues harmful to health
GRS (Global Recycled Standard) by Textile Exchange, a recognition of the environmental and chemical safety practices of the production system, as well as the contribution to the recycling of pre-consumer waste.

The peculiarity of the cellulose fiber is inherent in the structure of its yarn which is circular and extremely smooth more than any other yarn so as to be very delicate on the skin and without the risk of trapping impurities. In fact, cupro is particularly slippery and no detergent residue remains after washing, making it pleasant even for allergy sufferers. Thanks to its slipperiness, it does not rub against the skin or with other garments. These characteristics make it a valid alternative for making women's underwear and clothing, starting from natural and biodegradable raw materials.

Cellulose fiber is highly absorbent thanks to micro pores that allow it to absorb body moisture and release it outside.

Bemberg is a biodegradable and compostable fibre that decomposes naturally after disposal.

On the Altramoda website you can find H-eart and Komodo vegetable silk garments.