British textile brand Kirkby Design has introduced Aloe, a groundbreaking interior fabric made from 60 per cent aloe vera and 40 per cent organic cotton. Aloe vera, a plant that requires no chemicals, fertilisers or additional watering, offers a sustainable alternative to traditional textiles.
The sheer, washable fabric is designed for wide-format drapery, leveraging aloe vera’s natural light-filtering properties to create soft, diffused lighting while maintaining privacy. Kirkby Design Director Jordan Mould emphasised the material’s lightweight, airy quality, ideal for sheer and semi-sheer applications.
The production process utilises waste aloe vera leaves, a byproduct of gel extraction in the cosmetics industry. These leaves are pressed, shredded, and spun into yarn after meticulous research and development to perfect the fibre’s weight, texture and colour. The resulting fabric is REACH and Oeko-Tex certified, ensuring it is free from harmful substances.
Available in neutral and vibrant shades, the fabric absorbs dyes effectively, further reducing chemical usage. Kirkby Design sees aloe vera as a promising addition to sustainable textiles, with potential for wider applications in the industry. Aloe has been shortlisted for the Dezeen Awards 2024 in the textile and sustainable consumer design categories.
