Interview with Jacek Gleba With his master's collection at the renowned Central Saint Martins in London, Jacek Gleba , a graduate of the fashion design program, explores the intersection of dance, intimacy, and queerness in everyday life. Inspired by the diary of legendary choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky, movements, emotions, and personal entries become wearable manifestations of lived experience. The collection asks: How can we look queer in everyday life—beyond the night, beyond parties and performances? Each piece creates a dialogue between body, space, and identity, between tension and relaxation, openness and protection. Only biodegradable fabrics were used, including wool, deadstock silk, bamboo jersey, and natural rubber elastic bands, the latter from CHARLE.  We asked Jacek a few questions.

Natural rubber and the current challenges As a member company of Fair Rubber e.V., we have reason to celebrate this year and would like to share this with you, because: The purchase volumes of fair rubber have increased by 1,400% from 2021 to 2024. In terms of volume, this means an increase from 350 tonnes in 2021 to 5,000 tonnes in 2024. The association forecasts 5,600 tonnes of fair trade rubber for 2025. Fair Rubber improves the working and living conditions of producers and the sustainable cultivation of natural rubber. Members of Fair Rubber e.V. pay a fair trade premium to producers per kilogram of rubber. In this way, the Fair Rubber seal ensures fair trade and environmentally friendly rubber production. Despite the positive developments within the Fair Rubber cosmos, there are still real challenges in sustainable rubber supply chains, such as climate change, price pressure, geopolitics and compliance requirements.

Sometimes change starts with something as small as an elastic bra strap. Together with Lenzing AG, we are introducing a new generation of plastic-free textile tapes: fully compostable, elastic tapes made from TENCEL™ Lyocell, TENCEL™ LUXE filament yarn and natural rubber. This collaboration takes us to the next level in achieving our goals: the development and production of fully renewable narrow fabrics. Foto: © TencelTM x CHARLE Berlin

We've done it again – we've won third place in the Green Buddy Awards in the retail category. The Green Buddy Award is a sustainability prize awarded by the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district office in Berlin, together with the economic development agency. It is aimed at companies, project groups, and private individuals who stand out for their particularly ecological ideas, innovative concepts, and sustainable commitment – either in the district itself or throughout Berlin. Photo: © Julia Merkel

We are delighted to announce that our elastic bands made from organic and bio-based materials have been named finalists for the Biopolymer Innovation Award. The jury recognized innovative product solutions in the field of sustainable polymers. In addition to our application, we submitted various versions of our plastic-free, elastic narrow textiles—developed for durable and recyclable applications in the textile industry.

Every piece of clothing has an end – but what happens after that? Most textiles end up as non-recyclable waste in incinerators or landfills. The reason: mixed materials, plastic, synthetic dyes. With CHARLE, I am pursuing a different path: 100% recyclable elastic bands, free of plastic, made from natural fibres. What we take from the earth should be able to return to it – without leaving any residue. Because recyclability is not a trend. It is the only future for a fashion industry that truly wants to be sustainable. In this article, I show why half-measures are not enough – and what we need to do differently if fashion is to become part of nature.

Sustainable fashion is on everyone's lips. Almost every label now has a green line, uses organic cotton or advertises with recycled materials. But what is really behind it? What good is the best cotton if plastic threads are invisibly woven into it?In this article, I explain why true sustainability doesn't start with fabrics – but with uncomfortable questions. I take you on my journey as a bridge builder in the fashion industry, as someone who never stops thinking ahead. Because real change doesn't come from trends – it comes from attitude.

As the founder of CHARLE, I didn't just design sustainable children's fashion – I also asked the seemingly simple question: ‘What's actually in elastic?’ The answer was shocking: plastic. But instead of giving up, I developed the world's first plastic-free elastic – and inspired an entire industry in the process.

We wanted to find out whether our elastic straps made from natural materials completely degrade in the soil within a year - a decisive criterion for compostability. To do this, we subjected one of our products to a comprehensive practical test. With the support of a worm farm in Austria, we were able to successfully carry out this test.

We have reason to celebrate – we have won two awards! Fairness First Award and Entrepreneur of the Future Award from the German Institute for Innovation for Sustainability and Digitalisation