Keel Labs™ has officially entered the commercial market with the launch of its revolutionary seaweed-based fibre, Kelsun™, in collaboration with California-based brand Outerknown. This partnership marks a significant milestone for Keel Labs and the fashion industry, introducing a groundbreaking material that seamlessly blends sustainability and style. The debut product, a limited-edition Blanket Shirt, features a blend of Kelsun™ and organic cotton, offering a soft, comfortable, and climate-friendly alternative to traditional textiles.
For Tessa Callaghan, Co-Founder and CEO of Keel Labs, this collaboration with Outerknown represents years of hard work and innovation coming to life. "Our launch with Outerknown marks one of the biggest moments at Keel Labs to date, and is the result of years of dedication and hard work. Not only does the Universal Blanket Shirt stand as the first publicly available product featuring Kelsun, it also stands as the embodiment of what Keel Labs strives to achieve with the intersection of impact and utility," Callaghan shares.
The decision to partner with Outerknown, a brand founded on sustainability principles, was a natural fit for Keel Labs. Outerknown, co-founded by pro surfer Kelly Slater, has built a reputation for crafting elevated wardrobe staples with a deep commitment to environmental and social responsibility. "When we think about ideal partners to collaborate with, alignment on mission and dedication to the planet and practices is key. Outerknown has uniquely positioned itself as more than just a retail brand, but also one with a steadfast commitment toward taking action to revolutionise their supply chains responsibly," Callaghan explains.
The Kelsun™ Blanket Shirt stays true to Outerknown’s classic design while offering enhanced comfort and a significantly reduced environmental footprint. “The Kelsun™ Blanket Shirt fits within the classic construction and performance Outerknown’s customers have come to know and love while providing a garment with a softer, lighter, more comfortable feel, and a better impact for the climate,” Callaghan adds.
This new version of the Blanket Shirt is made by blending Kelsun™ with organic and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC™) cotton, a process that preserves the shirt's durability and comfort while elevating its sustainability credentials. The fibres are spun into yarns and woven into Outerknown’s signature twill construction, creating a garment that seamlessly integrates new materials with trusted design elements. "Outerknown has taken impressive measures when it comes to better cotton sourcing. We strove to maintain this identity and weave it into the first introduction of Kelsun,” Callaghan says, highlighting the blend’s benefits.
One of the key advantages of Kelsun™ lies in its compatibility with existing textile infrastructure, making it easier for brands like Outerknown to incorporate the fibre into their supply chains. However, this process is not without its challenges. "Integration within supply chains is more about coordination than problem-solving," Callaghan notes. The challenge, she explains, is ensuring that all key stakeholders, from mills to suppliers to the end customer, are aligned in terms of timing and resources.
At the heart of this collaboration is a shared commitment to sustainability. Outerknown’s dedication to responsible sourcing and supply chain transparency aligns perfectly with Keel Labs' mission to challenge the textile industry through material innovation. Callaghan explains, "Outerknown was founded on a commitment to sustainability, and has incorporated this ideology throughout their supply chain, their choice in sourcing responsible materials, and their clothing reuse initiatives."
Kelsun™ itself is a testament to the power of seaweed as a renewable resource. By using seaweed as the base for their fibre, Keel Labs is able to reduce the environmental impact of textile production, cutting down on water usage, eliminating petrochemical inputs, and offering a biodegradable alternative to traditional materials. “Because we source our raw materials from the ocean, Kelsun reduces the reliance on water, soil, and pesticides associated with the growth of other naturally derived fibres,” Callaghan explains. This seaweed-based fibre also received USDA certification for being 100% biobased, further cementing its position as a sustainable material of the future.
Seaweed’s regenerative properties make it a particularly compelling resource. "Seaweed is incredibly resilient and is regenerative at its core. Many species grow incredibly fast, creating an inspiring raw material because it does not require any arable land or water to grow," Callaghan says. In contrast to traditional fibres like cotton, which require vast amounts of water and pesticides, seaweed offers a solution that is kinder to the planet.
Ensuring that Kelsun™ met Outerknown’s high standards for quality and sustainability was a critical part of the development process. “We worked diligently to ensure we were getting hands-on feedback from brands, which provided the focused directive for where our products needed to evolve and improve,” Callaghan says. After years of testing and collaboration, Keel Labs is now confident in the performance of Kelsun, both in terms of durability and consumer appeal.
The excitement surrounding the Kelsun™ Blanket Shirt has been palpable, with both consumers and industry stakeholders eagerly awaiting its release. "There has been a great deal of excitement that Kelsun is finally available to the public. We have been fielding requests and inquiries since we were founded to know when our products would be available for any and everyone," Callaghan shares.
The production process of Kelsun™ starts in the ocean, where a biopolymer called alginate is extracted from seaweed. This biopolymer forms the foundation of the fibre, which is then extruded into fine filaments and spun into yarns before being woven into textiles. “After fibres are produced, they then get distributed to yarn and textile mills who spin Kelsun into yarns, knit or weave them into garments,” Callaghan explains. This process allows Kelsun™ to be seamlessly integrated into existing textile production methods.
Looking to the future, Keel Labs is optimistic about the ongoing partnership with Outerknown and the potential for future collaborations. "This is just the beginning of our partnership with Outerknown," Callaghan says. "We see a long future ahead and are both eager and optimistic about expanding Kelsun’s integration throughout their product portfolio."
The environmental benefits of Kelsun™ are clear when compared to both conventional and other bio-based fibres. "Kelsun is a USDA Certified Biobased product, using 100% bio-based ingredients in its makeup. When its purpose has been fulfilled, Kelsun biodegrades at a rate faster than cotton," Callaghan explains, offering a fibre that not only reduces the environmental footprint during production but also at the end of its life.
The launch of Kelsun™ with a respected brand like Outerknown has already had a positive impact on Keel Labs’ market positioning. “Not only is this one of the first, truly novel fibres to enter the market in decades, but also to do so with a garment so focused on durability and comfort showcases the real-life applicability of Kelsun,” Callaghan reflects. This launch is expected to open doors for more innovations in sustainable materials across the fashion industry.
With this first commercial release now underway, Keel Labs is already looking ahead to future opportunities. "This launch is the first of many to come," Callaghan reveals. Keel Labs is exploring a broad spectrum of applications for Kelsun™ beyond fashion, continuing to develop partnerships that will drive the adoption of sustainable materials across industries.
As for future innovations, Callaghan hints at exciting developments on the horizon. "We have quite a few projects and partnerships in the works. While we can’t share more specifically now, we encourage everyone to stay tuned in the upcoming months for more news to come," she teases.
For Keel Labs, the launch of the Kelsun™ Blanket Shirt is not just a milestone, but a reflection of their broader vision for transforming the textile industry. "We recognise that in order to dramatically decrease the negative impacts we have on our planet, we need to start with the fundamental building blocks our products are created from," Callaghan says. With Kelsun™, Keel Labs is taking a bold step toward a more sustainable future, one seaweed-based fibre at a time.
