The materials we choose for our products result from a thoughtful process that balances technical needs, manufacturing constraints, and ethical and environmental considerations
Our interest in milkweed lies primarily in its quality as a plant-based insulator. Unlike wool or down, which come from animals, milkweed has grown naturally in Québec for millennia and aligns with our values: it is local, renewable, and cruelty-free. In the past, before it was cultivated on a larger scale, it could be difficult to choose between petroleum-based synthetics and animal-derived materials. Today, with a high-performing and ethical plant-based insulator, the best option is clear.
At Lasclay, all our products contain milkweed — a natural, renewable, and ethical plant-based insulator. By combining innovation, comfort, and responsibility, each product highlights the unique qualities of milkweed while delivering optimal technical performance and long-lasting durability. Depending on the product, the filling can contain up to 85% milkweed, providing warmth and lightness while remaining environmentally friendly — and safe for monarch butterflies!
The same values guided our choice of fabrics. Down, leather, suede, and fur are excluded from our materials. While some animal-based options may be seen as less problematic than others, we are committed to applying our values consistently across all animal-derived products
This leaves us with two main categories of textiles:
Synthetic fabrics: plastic fibers derived from petroleum, or more responsible alternatives produced from recycled materials (e.g., recycled polyester or polyethylene).
Plant-based natural fabrics: fibers from plants such as cotton, hemp, or linen, as well as bio-based semi-synthetic fibers (e.g., wood-based viscose, corn-based PLA).
Unfortunately, there is no perfect textile that combines technical performance, comfort, durability, and low environmental impact. That’s why each material is carefully chosen based on its intended use, following a thorough evaluation to determine the right textile for the right product.
For our Lasclay mittens, our first product, polyester emerged as the best choice after thorough research, even though we naturally prefer plant-based textiles. This decision, far from being arbitrary, reflects careful consideration guided by both the technical requirements of our winter accessories and the possibilities currently offered by the textile industry.
The reputation of synthetic fabrics comes from their qualities: breathability, lightness, water resistance, quick-drying properties, durability, and versatility in shaping. These advantages make them, for now, difficult to replace when creating a winter accessory that can withstand harsh winters.
Additionally, polyester also has binding properties, which we use to ensure the durability and performance of our fillings. A polyester binder is incorporated into the milkweed, playing a crucial role: it prevents the milkweed from compacting or clumping together while preserving the insulating properties and lightness of the final product. This combination creates a stable, comfortable, and long-lasting filling, perfectly suited to the demands of our mittens, bags, and other accessories.
We are, however, aware of the drawbacks of using polyester: its petroleum-based origin, the environmental impacts of raw material extraction, and microplastic pollution. Our approach is not to claim that polyester is a perfect fabric, but to acknowledge its undeniable technical strengths while remaining vigilant about its sourcing and attentive to innovations in sustainable textiles, which could eventually provide a more responsible alternative.
For our scarves and neck warmers, worn directly against the skin, we sought a fiber that combines softness, breathability, and quick-drying properties. We chose bamboo viscose, a bio-based semi-synthetic fiber made from plant cellulose. Its lightness, comfort, and moisture-management abilities make it perfectly suited for active use.
Although it comes from plant-based resources, viscose is not without impact. Its transformation into a textile fiber generally involves chemical and energy-intensive processes. Depending on the production context, this can lead to negative effects such as air and water pollution. These considerations remind us that, as with any textile, there is no perfect solutioné
For our insulated bags, we chose cotton for its practical and durable qualities. This natural fiber is strong enough to withstand daily use and the mechanical stresses bags may encounter during transport. It is also flexible, making the bags easy to store and carry, and machine-washable, allowing for simple maintenance and long-term hygienic use.
Cotton also offers a wide range of colors and weaves, allowing us to create bags that are practical, durable, and visually appealing, while staying true to our commitment to reduce waste and overconsumption. By favoring this fiber, we can ensure the performance, durability, comfort, and look of our products, while maintaining control over their quality.
The interior of our bags does involve some environmental compromises. PVC, used in our lunch bags and coolers, is a petroleum-based plastic: its production and disposal can have significant environmental impacts, including high energy consumption and chemical pollution. Nylon, used for the rest of the collection, is also a petroleum-based synthetic fiber, and its production generates CO₂ emissions and microplastics that can end up in the environment.
Despite these limitations, these materials offer essential benefits for our bags. They are durable, water-resistant, and easy to clean — crucial qualities for accessories exposed to daily use and minor accidents, like a spilled yogurt. PVC provides optimal protection and maximum durability, while nylon adds flexibility and lightness to the rest of the collection.
Of course, textile production inevitably generates waste. That’s why, since the beginning of Lasclay, Gabriel, our co-founder, and the production team have systematically sorted and saved fabric scraps from each batch, in order to reduce waste and give the materials a second life.
A circular economy project has been implemented to give textile scraps a second life. A shredder has been added to the production facilities, allowing some of the offcuts to be processed directly at the source. Certain fibers are then sent to Mécanec to be transformed, depending on the specific needs of the project.
These recovered fibers are used as filling for some of our products and have enabled the creation of new sustainable items, such as pet cushions. They also led to a collaboration with Timininous to design an ultra-insulating baby mitten, combining milkweed and defibrated merino wool.
Through this approach, Lasclay is actively committed to textile recycling, waste reduction, and the creation of sustainable, responsible products, while exploring new possibilities for its collections
