New App Wove Aims to Bring Clothing Fabric Transparency to Fashion

As conversations around microplastics, hormone disruption, fertility, and everyday chemical exposure continue to move into the mainstream, one category is increasingly coming under scrutiny: clothing.

Following growing public awareness sparked by Netflix’s The Plastic Detox documentary, consumers are paying closer attention not only to what they eat and apply to their skin, but also to the fabrics they wear every day. While many shoppers have already cleaned up their food, skincare, cookware, and household products, clothing remains one of the least transparent consumer categories.

That gap is becoming harder to ignore. Synthetic fibres have grown from roughly 45% of global fibre production in 1996 to approximately 73% in 2023, with polyester alone now accounting for more than half of all fibre production worldwide. Despite this shift, apparel labels still provide very little visibility into synthetic fibres, PFAS treatments, or microplastic shedding potential.

Now, a new app called Wove is aiming to change that. Founded by Emily Hemphill, Wove is described as the first app that allows consumers to upload a photo, screenshot, clothing tag, or shopping link to instantly “scan and score” clothing for potential PFAS, microplastic, and synthetic fibre concerns.

Unlike existing clothing scanner platforms, Wove goes beyond simply flagging products. The app also helps users discover lower-tox alternatives that fit their personal style and budget. Whether replacing a polyester activewear set, a favourite black skirt, or everyday wardrobe basics, the platform is designed to make cleaner fashion choices feel practical and accessible rather than restrictive.

Hemphill said the inspiration for Wove came from her own fertility and wellness journey and the lack of transparency she encountered around clothing materials.

“I realised how little transparency exists around the fabrics people wear every day despite growing ingredient transparency across food and beauty,” she explained. “We wanted to create something that helps consumers understand the materials closest to their skin with the same simplicity people now expect from ingredient-scanning apps in other categories.”

The launch also reflects the wider rise of “clean fashion” and growing consumer interest in low-tox lifestyles, fertility-conscious shopping habits, and greater accountability around sustainability claims within the fashion industry. As concerns around greenwashing continue to grow, platforms like Wove may signal a broader shift toward material transparency becoming a key part of future fashion retail.

Wove is currently available for consumers looking to better understand the composition of the garments they wear and shop for daily.

More information is available at Wove

Images courtesy of Wove