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Every piece of clothing has an end – but what happens after that? Most textiles end up as non-recyclable waste in incinerators or landfills. The reason: mixed materials, plastic, synthetic dyes. With CHARLE, I am pursuing a different path: 100% recyclable elastic bands, free of plastic, made from natural fibres. What we take from the earth should be able to return to it – without leaving any residue. Because recyclability is not a trend. It is the only future for a fashion industry that truly wants to be sustainable. In this article, I show why half-measures are not enough – and what we need to do differently if fashion is to become part of nature.

As the founder of CHARLE, I didn't just design sustainable children's fashion – I also asked the seemingly simple question: ‘What's actually in elastic?’ The answer was shocking: plastic. But instead of giving up, I developed the world's first plastic-free elastic – and inspired an entire industry in the process.