It seems to me that we may need to reasses some of our assumptions. Everyone is assuming that we have to give up some performance or weight in order to have materials which are “sustainable.” I can think of a few examples of materials which are more sustainable than their competitors, but still perform well. Take Patagonia’s recycled fabrics (fleece, and now some of their capilene stuff) or merino wool vs. polyester for long johns.

I imagine that it may be possible to make some of the plastics now made out of petroleum out of plant based materials, and still have similar performance.

Also, I whole heartedly agree with the point that making something more durable inherently makes it more sustainable as long as it is still just as functional and people will continue to use it for many years.

It seems that if we give this idea some scientific minded thought, we might be surprised what people come up with.