20 September 2023 , 15:09
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Two innovative women have created a pair of unique gym leggings crafted from fish scales - yes, you read that correctly. According to the Australian founders of Locionne, Michelle Huang and Elle Castellani, the special ingredient means you can go for days without washing the clothing item and it's left people baffled.
The duo were left intrigued when they came across bionic nylon, a groundbreaking textile technology infused with collagen from fish scales. Developed in Taiwan, it was traditionally used for intimate wear but Michelle and Elle saw an opportunity to apply the tech to their activewear business. Now they have created the world's first collagen-infused nylon from fish scales and they're using it for their brand Locionne's Genesis collection.
The leggings are made of fish scales (locionne/Instagram)
You can go days without washing them (veronica_amber_peace/Instagram)To be clear, they aren't sewing whole fish scales into the leggings but instead, marine collagen is extracted from the scales and weaved into the fabric for hidden benefits. "There's no killing of fish, it's got nothing to do with that," Elle told 9Honey. "What they do is they upcycle fish scales, which otherwise would become ocean waste, and use the collagen inside the fish scales to be woven into fibre."
They're calling it "the most skin-friendly active fabric" ever and that's because it is naturally cooling and deodorising. The fabric has advanced odour-control and antimicrobial properties which means you can wear the tights for days on end without washing them. Michelle and Elle tested the fabric themselves for almost two years and claimed the leggings could be worn for almost seven days without smelling.
"Or a lot longer. I tend not to watch them for a week and I didn't find anything wrong with it, especially if I wasn't doing, let's say CrossFit," Elle said. This is because the material adsorbs sweat instead of absorbing it; meaning it holds any wetness away from the skin, instead of soaking it up like a sponge.
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Michelle and Elle started the brand because they were sick of seeing unflattering gym clothes for women. Not having stepped into a gym until they were 26 and 27, they never thought they'd one day have a thriving activewear business. When they were both made redundant during the pandemic, they developed a pair of tights with a flattering, trapezium-shaped waistband that didn't roll down and removed the traditional front seam. Then they hunted down the softest practical active fabric available and launched Locionne from Michelle's parent's spare room. And the rest, they say, is history.