A man in Taiwan is addressing fashion waste by creating a sustainable textile from discarded oyster shells, dubbed “sea wool.” Eddie Wang developed this idea after seeing how lower-income locals used crushed oyster shells for insulation.
Collaborating with materials scientists, Wang transformed the shells—typically discarded or used to rebuild oyster reefs—into a flexible yarn similar to sheep’s wool.
Wang’s factory now produces 900 tons of sea wool annually, generating $6 million in revenue. The fabric is already used in garments sold by retailers like Huckberry.
Beyond fashion, powdered oyster shells could also replace limestone in various industries, reducing environmental pollution linked to limestone quarrying.