Marimekko, Rester Oy to recycle end-of-life textiles from its own production

Finnish design house, Marimekko has partnered with a native textile recycler, Rester Oy to work together in the recycling of end-of-life textiles.

Rester’s recycling facility in Paimio, Finland, has been producing new textile fibers from Marimekko’s end-of-life textiles from the textile printing factory and sewing shop in Helsinki, Finland, since the beginning of 2022. Marimekko’s goal of a circular economic value chain is aided by its collaboration with Rester. To move the industry forward, the company is committed to driving continual innovation in technologies, materials, and business models through collaborations.

Riika Wikberg, Chief Business Development Officer at Marimekko, said that their goal is to reduce the amount of waste they produce on a constant basis, and this work begins at the design table. Efforts are undertaken to maximize the recovery and recycling of waste generated during the manufacturing process. They’re also looking at the possibility of making new items out of recycled fibers from their own end-of-life fabrics. They hope that in the future, timeless and sustainable products will be created in harmony with the environment, in accordance with the circular economy principles.

Henna Knuutila, Rester’s Account and Development Manager, said that one of the best aspects of this relationship is that they will be able to assist their partner in achieving their essential aim of recycling end-of-life textiles into new textile products. When compared to the manufacture of fully new textile fiber, recycling end-of-life textiles saves on average 525,000 litres of water and 3,700 kilos of carbon dioxide for each tonne of fiber generated. It’s fantastic that a circular economy and the resulting environmental benefits are at the heart of both organizations’ principles.

Almost all of the waste created at Marimekko’s textile printing factory and headquarters has been used in energy production or as recycled material for years, and the company tries to continually improve the share of waste recycled as material. End-of-life textiles are recycled in accordance with EU standards, which require a separate collection of textile waste by 2025. Separate collection of textile waste will commence in Finland from the beginning of 2023.

Rester is a Finnish company that provides textile recycling systems that allow business textiles to be recycled into new textile fibers and high-quality raw materials. The firm launched the largest textile recycling factory in Northern Europe in Finland in November 2021. End-of-life textiles are opened into fibers in Rester’s mechanical recycling process. Recycled fiber from Rester can be utilized in yarns, nonwoven products including insulation, acoustic boards, and filter textiles, as well as composite materials.