For its latest capsule collection, Filippa K introduces pioneering fibre technology to its long-time textile mill partner. We speak to the brand’s vice president of sustainability, Jodi Everding, for the full story – and why it matters
Like so many great things of late, Filippa K’s autumn/winter capsule started with a video call. The participants on the call – alongside the brand – were Renewcell and Beste, the former being a leading Swedish textile recycling company and the latter being Filippa K’s long-time textile mill partner, founded in Tuscany in 1992 by two brothers.
The outcome? The waste from Beste’s textile mill, which was previously bound for the incinerator, would instead be sent to Renewcell to be made into Circulose®, using their innovative technology and renewable energy.
“When we had an opportunity to develop a fabric made with Circulose®, it was a very quick decision to approach Beste and ask them to work with us on this," says Jodi Everding, vice president of sustainability at Filippa K. "From the first online meeting between Beste, Renewcell and Filippa K, it was obvious that they were absolutely the right partner for this project," she recounts.
Photo: Luna Conte
The newly-formed partnership set into motion a circular production loop that forms the foundation of Filippa K's sustainable autumn/winter drop. In the simplest of terms: the Circulose® fibre is made by Renewcell by first breaking down the textile waste from Beste into a pulp. Water and polyester are removed from the pulp, transforming it into a paper-like sheet that can be transported and made into new fibres. These new fibres are spun into a yarn, then returned to Beste to be woven, dyed and finished. Any waste from the weaving makes its way back to Renewcell to contribute to future production of Circulose® . The perfect loop.
Circularity has been central to Filippa K for almost a decade, but this loop is a major step forward. “Collectively, we have a problem with textile waste,” Everding states, on the wider fashion industry. “Despite years of overproduction, we are recycling less than one per cent of these textiles and garments. Of course, we would ideally reuse these as they are – recycling should be the last resort. But even if we are sorting out, repairing, and reusing them, there remains a massive amount of unusable material that has the potential to be recycled into new fibres."
“What Renewcell achieves with Circulose® is truly a game-changer, because they’re taking textile waste and turning it into a new fibre that’s compatible for existing supply chains, meaning it can easily be made into fabric again at scale,” Everding explains.
Photo: Luna Conte
The first garments to be born from this collaboration are Filippa K’s Cropped Jacket – Everding’s personal favourite from the capsule – and the Henry Unisex Trouser. The other two garments making up the sustainable collection mark the latest edition of Filippa K's signature Swedish Wool sweater, in a continuation of its award-winning supply chain initiative. This latest design, made from 100% Swedish Wool, is a striped cable knit style with alternating natural tones in a relaxed silhouette.
The implementation of The Circulose® Loop, and the sheer fact the collection is just four pieces, all ties back to Filippa’s K’s ‘mindful consumption’ ethos. But what does the ethos really mean? "From a brand perspective, mindful consumption is about scrutinising what we produce and how we produce it – taking into account the full lifecycle of the garment," Everding responds. "Part of this is also giving consumers support in caring for and repairing their garments so they stay in use for as long as possible, and providing options for extending the lifecycle after ownership. If a brand is doing this right, it hopefully takes some of the responsibility off of the consumer, but they also play a role.
"From a consumer point of view, I think mindful consumption is about being thoughtful and considered about what you purchase – of course, you should still shop with your heart and feel excited about what you buy, but it’s about making sure these are pieces you can wear many times, for many years, in many different ways. And it’s also about taking care of the things you already own – to keep using them, repair them if needed, and to pass them on if they no longer suit you or serve a need in your life," says Everding.
Photo: Luna Conte
Filippa K is evidently walking the walk as well as talking the talk, with Everding urging that “we need to slow down and consider everything a bit more”. From her point of view, to really get ‘mindful consumption’ into practice on a greater scale, brands need to “produce garments that have a purpose in their collection and serve a need for their consumers (even if that need is to make someone look and feel great!” she says. “And consumers should be thoughtful about what they buy and which brands or products they choose to spend money on. Keeping what we already have in use for as long as possible can also make a big difference.”
This capsule isn’t the last that we’ll see of The Circulose® Loop, Everding tells me, with Filippa K already in discussions with Beste about the next fabric to be developed using this method. “We hope that with the connection between Beste and Renewcell, we won’t have to develop ‘special’ material using Circulose®,” Everding shares. “Instead, Beste can introduce it into a variety of fabrics that they offer to Filippa K and other brands, reducing the need for virgin fibres in the industry.”
The capsule will launch in select Filippa K stores and at filippa-k.com on November 4th.