Marimekko launches collection made of post-industrial textile waste

Marimekko, a Finnish design company, has announced the launch of a ‘closed-loop project’  at Slush 2022, in which it would create a small line of clothing that incorporates post-industrial textile waste.

In its value chain, Marimekko begins testing closed-loop textile production. The project was unveiled in conjunction with Helsinki, Finland’s Slush 2022 startup and technology event. In 2023, Marimekko will release its first capsule collection, which consists of three items made in part from recycled fibers from closed-loop manufacturing.

The cutting waste and other byproducts created during the production of Marimekko’s jersey items will be used as raw materials in the company’s closed-loop trial project. A minimum of 20% of the fabric, depending on the product, will be made with regenerated cotton fiber, and the remaining cotton will be virgin cotton to assure the quality and durability of the clothing. The pilot project was created in association with Portuguese textile company Pedrosa & Rodrigues, which has spent years concentrating on the creation of closed-loop technologies. The pilot project’s objectives are to investigate strategies to lessen the environmental impact of textile production and to have external specialists produce a life-cycle analysis of items made with closed-loop fibers to aid in future research and development work.

Rebekka Bay, Creative Director at Marimekko, said that at Marimekko, they think that the circular economy’s guiding principles will enable the production of timeless, environmentally friendly items in the future. Their ongoing efforts to accomplish this goal are demonstrated by their upcoming capsule collection, which uses some regenerated fiber from the closed-loop. Their long-term goal is to move toward fully circular materials that can be recycled numerous times without a decrease in the quality or durability of the fiber. This will be accomplished through their material strategy, which includes investing in new material innovations.

Marimekko debuted its first item from this pilot at Slush 2022 on its immersive flower field in the 3D virtual world Decentraland wearing a Unikko sweatshirt as the brand’s 3D avatar “Mari.” Even after the Slush 2022, the Decentraland virtual world is accessible to the general public.

The launch of the first joint commercial capsule collection with sustainable fiber company Spinnova, featuring styles made from a denim-like material blend consisting of approximately 20% SPINNOVA® fiber, is one of Marimekko’s recent steps on the sustainability journey. Other recent steps include the launch of the resale marketplace Marimekko Pre-loved in Finland.

Marimekko wants to have a smaller environmental impact, so material selection is important. By the end of 2025 and even more by 2030, Marimekko hopes to cut the greenhouse gas emissions of textile materials by 20% and the water scarcity score by 50% per kilogram of supplied textiles. The Science Based Targets program (SBTi) to lower greenhouse gas emissions has the support of Marimekko.