Biotech start-up Spiber has collaborated with The North Face’s Japanese distributor Goldwin to produce the first mass-manufactured jackets made from synthetic spider silk, an artificial material derived from spider silk’s DNA.
Compared to traditional petroleum-based materials, spider silk is considered an alternative solution for durable clothing in the outerwear and performance wear industry.
“Spider silk is a protein fibre that has long been somewhat of a holy grail for material scientists because of its unique ability to combine both strength and extensibility in one fibre,” said Daniel Meyer, head of global corporate planning at Spiber.
By optimising the protein textile, Spiber is able to create Moon Parka jacket on a larger production scale and at a reduced cost. After spinning the proteins into yarn, Goldwin will weave them into a textile and turn it into the jacket’s shell.
The outer shell of Moon Parka is designed to be biodegradable, waterproof, and durable with the same colour as the webs of golden orb spiders.
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