e-fabrics

Developed by the Instituto-E, the project e-fabrics finds sustainable raw materials that can be used by the textile industry and different supply chains, thereby fostering a culture of conscious consumption. The project aims to promote the study of socio-environmental impacts in the production process and to preserve diversity and social relations with the communities involved by developing products that bring together ethics and design.

Between the years 2000 and 2006, Osklen kickstarted the e-fabrics project. Osklen is a brand that values the idea of Brazilianness and experimenting with raw materials derived from sustainable processes. Launched during the 2007 São Paulo Fashion Week, e-fabrics is not a certification but a unique label that conveys a product's socio-environmental features.

Materials with the e-fabrics label are evaluated on five criteria:

• _Raw material source [sustainable, renewable, or recycled].
• _Productive process impact on the environment
• _Rescuing and preserving cultural diversity and traditions
• _Promoting ethical relations with communities and collaborators
• _Design, commercial attributes, and economic viability