Cloudwool was introduced to Balenciaga’s Corporate Social Responsibility team at the Future Fabrics Expo in London in 2021. This marked the beginning of an exciting collaboration. Rooted in sustainability, this partnership embarked on exploring the potential of Cloudwool, evolving elements of Balenciaga’s materiality through iterative design and development.

The connection deepened after the Chef d’Atelier noted Cloudwool’s natural qualities and initiated prototyping. The Cloudwool team prototyped and developed diverse material variations, including fusions with linen, organic cotton, and horsehair, as well as lightweight thermal wadding, specifically tailored for shoulder pads. Compostability tests and iterative feedback refined these innovations, ensuring alignment with Balenciaga’s ambitious sustainability goals.

“It’s so interesting to think that when I was starting out with Cloudwool, brands would find fabrics and reverse-engineer them to make them cheaper. Now, brands like Balenciaga are committed to innovation, pursuing sustainability excellence, and understanding the process of integrating biological materials without compromising,” – Martin Brambley, Cloudwool CEO.

In 2023, this collaboration culminated in the first production order. In 2024, the 100% wool jackets went on sale, solidifying Cloudwool’s place in Balenciaga’s collection.

The Balenciaga Jacket is available now at Farfetch.