Cupro or vegetable silk is an extraordinary fibre of plant origin. It is characterised by its bright and shiny silk-like appearance, but is vegan. It is breathable, light and fresh. It is very comfortable and gentle on the skin thanks to its circular structure that does not create irritation, friction or discomfort on the skin and is therefore also suitable for sensitive skin.
Cupro comes from the small filaments that cover cotton seeds and cannot be used to make cotton fibre because they are too short. They are therefore a waste by-product of cotton processing. These filaments are processed into high quality pure cellulose, which you can extrude to obtain a particularly fine thread that closely resembles silk in both hand and lustre. This is why cellulose fibre is also called vegetable silk.
Cellulose fibre is an artificial fibre, which, with technological advances, is now produced to high standards of environmental sustainability. The cellulose fibre 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 sets itself the goal of zero-emission production 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 production and business management:
- certification with the ISO 14001 environmental standard 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 yarn ensuring the absence of residues harmful to health
- GRS (Global Recycled Standard) from Textile Exchange, an award for the environmental and chemical safety practices of the production system, as well as for the contribution to pre-consumer waste recycling.
The peculiarity of cellulose fibre is inherent in the structure of its yarn, which is circular and extremely smooth more than any other yarn so that it is very gentle on the skin and without the risk of trapping impurities. In fact, cupro is particularly slippery and no detergent residues remain after washing, making it welcome even for allergic persons. Thanks to its slipperiness, it does not friction on the skin or with other garments. These characteristics make it a valid alternative for making women's underwear and clothing from natural, biodegradable raw materials.
Cellulose fibre is highly absorbent thanks to micro pores that allow it to absorb moisture from the body and release it outside.
Bemberg is a biodegradable and compostable fibre that naturally decomposes after disposal.
