Seaweed - one powerful fiber
You may know many of the best fibers for clothing come from plants — cotton and bamboo are two examples — but you probably didn’t know that seaweed is one of the most renewable resources out there, and it, too, can be made into sustainable clothing fiber. MOVETES is excited to announce that we’re now using SeaCell, a seaweed-derived, planet-friendly, sustainable clothing fiber, in our Luna ¼ zip sweater — the newest addition to our line of sustainable women’s athletic wear. And, other than the fact that this sweater is an incredibly chic and functional piece, here’s why you should buy it (hint: it’s all about the powerful SeaCell seaweed fiber).
Seaweed is good for your skin
Yes, you have a whole counter-full of skincare products that help you look young, fresh, and breakout-free. But everything you put on your skin (including your clothing) has the power to impact your skin’s health and well-being. Did you know that your skin is your body’s largest organ? It’s responsible for keeping your insides protected from harm, for helping maintain your correct body temperature, and allowing you to feel and interact with the world through nerve endings. It’s important to do everything you can to take good care of your skin, and that includes choosing fabrics and materials that are less likely to cause irritation, and more likely to deliver vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Aside from the fact that seaweed is a fast-growing, renewable plant that’s perfect to use in clothing fibers, it’s also packed with nutrients that are good for the skin. Now, you may be thinking, “Wouldn’t I have to eat seaweed to enjoy these nutrients?” The answer is, “not necessarily.” Just as you apply lotions or creams to your skin, absorbing and using the nutrients in this manner, it’s possible to absorb vitamins and minerals through your skin.
Seaweed contains vitamins, amino acids, and minerals that have been proven to be good for the skin. For instance, one 2021 study found that red seaweed could help prevent the signs of aging and help even skin tone. Other studies have noted that seaweed can calm inflammation and irritation, and can help protect the skin from external damage.
And it’s not just when seaweed is incorporated into wraps or topical skincare products that there are benefits. Research is proving that fabrics that incorporate seaweed into the fibers can actually help treat skin conditions and improve skin quality. For instance, a 2010 study found that a seaweed-infused fiber helped reduce the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. And a 2021 review study highlighted the vitamin, mineral, and amino acid-rich nature of seaweed and its therapeutic skin benefits that can improve the skin’s immune system, encourage cell renewal, and provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial benefits. This study also highlighted that seaweed appears to be effective at interacting with the skin’s microbiome when used as part of clothing fibers.
Now, can wearing seaweed-infused fabrics automatically improve your skin’s appearance and health? More research needs to be done to understand the exact mechanisms that provide benefits, and how to best apply them. But certainly, wearing seaweed-infused fabrics isn’t going to hurt your skin, and could, in fact, soothe and improve its look and appearance … and you don’t even have to “do” anything! Just throw on your new Luna ¼ zip sweater and let the seaweed do its magic as you go about your day.
SeaCell fibers are soft and silky to the touch
If you’ve ever touched moss, algae, or seaweed, you know it’s incredibly soft to the touch. And that doesn’t change when it's infused into fibers for clothing. In fact, one of the reasons seaweed makes such a great fiber is that it just feels good. Regardless of the health benefits or renewable nature of the product, you just want to wear it. And isn’t that what you want from every piece of clothing you buy? When you purchase the new Luna ¼ zip sweater, it’s bound to become one of your go-to pieces of women’s athleticwear. Not just because it’s functional and good for your skin, but because you won’t want to take it off. And certainly, we don’t blame you. In fact, you might want to purchase two or three sweaters so you’ll always have one ready to throw on after a tough workout, or to layer at night when it gets a little chilly. We wouldn’t even blame you if you wore it to bed. It really is that soft, silky, and comfortable.
It’s biodegradable and 100% organic
You bike to work, you shop locally at farmer’s markets, you pay attention to where you’re sourcing the products you buy. The environment is important to you, and that shouldn’t end when you make decisions about clothing purchases. MOVETES is dedicated to sourcing and using renewable fabrics to be a better steward of the world we’re all responsible for. That’s one of the main reasons we decided to start integrating SeaCell fabrics into our line of women’s athleticwear.
In addition to SeaCell being 100% organic, responsibly-sourced, biodegradable, compostable, and environmentally-friendly, seaweed itself grows very, very quickly. In fact, information from the University of Washington states that kelp, a form of brown seaweed, grows as much as two to three feet per day, making it one of the fastest growing organisms on the planet. So even if it’s being used for a wide-variety of purposes, including fabrics, foods, and protecting the ocean from becoming more acidic, as long as it’s being farmed wisely, it’s a resource that regenerates at least as fast as it’s used.
As such, you don’t have to worry about the damage caused to the environment when it’s used in products like fabrics, or the time it takes to replace the resource after it’s used. This is very different from products like polyesters, which are typically made from petroleum … a decidedly non-renewable resource.
Of course, seaweed-derived fabrics aren’t the only renewable fabric available. There are a lot of them, including bamboo, organic cotton, wool (when it’s farmed correctly), and recycled polyesters (notably different from new polyesters), but you’d be hard-pressed to find a fabric that’s quite as renewable as seaweed, given how quickly it grows. And that doesn’t even touch on the health-related benefits that seaweed also imparts.
Seaweed-derived fabrics are perfect for active wear
When you think about activewear products, what exactly are you looking for? Probably something comfortable, that moves well, that helps wick sweat and reduce odor while preventing skin irritation, right? And of course, you want products that are stylish and classic, that can do double-duty as a workout layer or as a casual piece you can throw on to run errands in.
Seaweed-derived fabrics like the SeaCell fabric found in the new MOVETES Luna ¼ zip sweater check all the boxes when it comes to athletic-wear. For instance, seaweed is antimicrobial, which means it can help prevent and reduce odor. It’s also silky-smooth to the touch, which means it’s comfortable and moves well — absolutely critical whether you’re running a 10k or you’re playing a round of golf on a Saturday morning. And, the health-benefits of seaweed that are imparted to your skin when you wear the fabric can help reduce irritation — you know, especially the type of irritation that can occur following a sweaty exercise session.
As far as style and function, you can give MOVETES the credit for the cute and classic appearance of the Luna sweater. It’s a piece that easily fits into any wardrobe and can be paired as easily with the Waves Skort or Eliza Pant as it can with leggings or even a pair of jeans. It’ll be your go-to travel sweater to cozy up in on an airplane, then to wear as you’re taking your nightly walks along the boardwalk.
The thing is, you’ll want the Luna sweater in every color and style because every time you put it on, you’ll feel good. You’ll feel good about your planet-friendly purchase. You’ll feel good about how the fabric feels against your skin. And you’ll feel good about the fact that the fabric is like a wearable skincare to boost your skin’s health and appearance. Really, what’s not to love about SeaCell’s seaweed-derived fabric? So go ahead and check out the Luna Sweater and add it to your wardrobe. This is one purchase you’ll never regret making.