The environmental issues caused by plastic are vast and troubling, especially in industries like fashion, where polyester and other synthetic materials are prevalent. These plastics contribute significantly to pollution, harming ecosystems and wildlife.
Recognizing the need for a sustainable solution, Saba Gray combined a love for fashion with a commitment to environmental conservation. Identifying a gap in the market for eco-friendly alternatives, Saba founded BioGlitz dedicated to replacing plastic glitter with sustainable materials. One of the key challenges faced is educating consumers and industry professionals about the benefits and necessity of these sustainable options.
Overcoming initial resistance and misconceptions, BioGlitz sought out a biodegradable glitter solution. This journey underscores the importance of addressing environmental issues head-on and demonstrates that innovation in sustainability is not only possible but imperative for the future of fashion.
In this interview, Saba Gray shares her innovation and vision for the future of sustainable fashion.
How did you become interested in the sustainable fashion industry?
SG: I have always loved fashion from a young age and loved animals and nature equally. Finding a way to incorporate both into each other was very important to me. I knew the power of glitter and how it brings people together, but more importantly, I learned about the impact that we can have on the planet by replacing the use of polyester/plastic in textiles and cosmetics, specifically in the form of shiny materials. So, glitter was the perfect gateway to combine fun, sustainability, and fashion.
What challenges did you identify that drove you to start a company to address them?
SG: There are a lot of challenges. I was young when I started this company; I was 22. One of the biggest challenges is education and explaining to people the importance and significance of replacing plastic with sustainable materials. As well as, the learning curve for consumers and communicating not only that the product is of higher quality because of the way it wears but also that the outcome is of higher quality because it doesn't affect the planet. Sometimes, getting consumers to pay attention to that is difficult.
Nowadays, it's easier. But in the beginning, pre-COVID, there were way fewer people who cared. Post-COVID, it's interesting. Sustainability is much more a topic of conversation. Now, all of our manufacturing partners ask about sustainability, and brands ask about the ingredients way more often. So I think just the learning curve of getting people to hop on board and care, and in the first few years was quite difficult.
It took some time to develop a sustainable glitter. We did some reverse engineering. We tried insect resins, mica, other minerals, and stuff. When I was developing it, I was working for a company called Manufacture New York, and we did vertically integrated clothing production, from textile development through design pattern making and production. So, we got to oversee every step of the process. Working there taught me a lot about reverse engineering, working backward, and taking it step by step. I ended up finding a manufacturing partner overseas who was also trying to produce biodegradable glitter, and we partnered. So, while I am not physically making the glitter myself, we are choosing the colors and other factors, and we make our adhesive out of algae. We produce the algae in Kentucky, which is interesting. Most, if not all, of our glitter is produced in Germany, but that was difficult. Thankfully, I found some scientists who were also excited about it and hopped on board.
Tell us about your team: Who’s on it, and how did you meet?
SG: We have Teresa, who does our operations, and she's like our in-house legal. She's amazing. When she was in law school, she did a paper on BioGlitz, and her professors at the University of Louisville became interested. They just kept following along with BioGlitz after that, and Teresa's professors reached out to have a tour of BioGlitz. Teresa and I started talking more, and now Teresa's on the team, so it's great.
We also have Timmy, who's like my “right-hand man”; they do all of our distribution and, events coordination in Kentucky. Timmy runs the show in Louisville while I'm in New York, working on textile stuff. Timmy and I met when I hired him to work some booths for BioGlitz and do some activations. We had our first booth at Forecastle, and Timmy was there running those booths. When I came into town for one of the events to see how it was going, I met Timmy in person, who was just amazing, and we became glitter best friends.
There are also all of our contract workers that do events for us, and our other staff that's less of a high-level role is just people that have either reached out through their commitment to glitter and sustainability and expressed interest in working with us, or most people I have organically met through BioGlitz. Whether that be at an event, a conference, or a festival, so it's been, it's all been very organic. We haven't ever put it out like a hiring ad, we kind of just let them occur naturally.
One of the biggest challenges is education and explaining to people the importance and significance of replacing plastic with sustainable materials. As well as, the learning curve for consumers and communicating not only that the product is of higher quality because of the way it wears but also that the outcome is of higher quality because it doesn't affect the planet.
Where do you see sustainable fashion headed in the future?
SG: We know that it’s growing rapidly, which is good. Honestly, I don't know the answer. I hope that it doesn't just become this greenwashing thing, because right now, all the recycled polyester can only be recycled up to three times. That's the maximum life cycle of polyester. And each time it's worn, it flakes off more and more. That means oceans are getting a microscopic coating of these invisible fibers, trapping carbon emissions and heat and not allowing oxygen in. I think companies do this to make people feel better, but it's just putting a band-aid on a big open wound. So I hope sustainable fashion veers away from tag-word, and catchphrase things, and goes to true sustainability.
I think something that will be popular soon is lab-grown leather. When I did an accelerator program in Amsterdam, there was a cool company that was growing leather, and they were growing it into replica patterns. For instance, they could grow Anaconda skin in a petri dish, and it would come out with Anaconda print, which I think is the only way people are going to replace leather and vegan leather because vegan leather is just polyester. We've had vegan leather forever, and it's just just plastic. They're just calling it vegan leather. Cotton and linens are great, but I think people are getting more innovative. Whether it's from kelp materials, kelp thread, pineapple leather, or apple leather, things like this utilize waste and convert it into something beneficial. Something where we don't have to harvest natural materials that are not otherwise being harvested.
I think sustainability is up to the consumer on the surface, but it's inherently up to the manufacturer and the companies overproducing. The only way the companies are going to change is if they're held accountable by the consumers. I think we are starting to see that shift.
What does success look like to BioGlitz in the short term and long term?
SG: I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. One of my favorite quotes is, “Remember when you wanted exactly what you have now.” Right now, I get to work with my friends and spread sustainable shine. We have a store in Kentucky, and we're opening one in New York. We get to spread sustainable education. I get to travel and do the things that I want to do. If I want to work with someone, I can reach out about collaboration. And our brand is often reputable enough that it works out. So for my personal success, I feel fulfilled in this moment.
I feel that we can accomplish what we want. For the long-term success of the company, I would like to have a greater impact on a sustainability standpoint and have a greater footprint in replacing plastic and textiles. Right now, I feel our reach and our education is wide, but the amount of materials that we are supplementing is not as great as it could be. So, I would like to have a real change in the impact of reducing plastic. Not our plastic footprint, we don't use plastic, but scaling the company large enough to where you find more BioGlitz on clothing than plastic glitter making sustainable shine the norm.
Find out more about BioGlitz at bioglitz.co. Are you a startup based in or looking to relocate to Kentucky? Keyhorse’s current quarterly investment cycle is open! Apply now.
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