- Cynthia Blasberg
Textile recycling meets recyclability - A cooperation of Filippa K, Lenzing, Södra & Riopele
Textile reycling meets recyclability with a new pilot fibre that is both recycled and recyclable. Filippa K will be the first brand to showcase this, in collaboration with Södra, Lenzing and Riopele, in its Spring/Summer 2024 collection. The innovative partnership underlines the commitment of the companies involved to find solutions for circular fashion while bringing together different sectors of the industry to drive change.
One more time
Two technologies are at the core of the new material: OnceMore from Södra and Refibra from Lenzing. The pilot fibre is made from a combination of textile waste and wood cellulose. Södra and Lenzing have already been working together since 2021 to join forces in textile recycling and to bring the topic of circular economy forward in the fashion industry. The goal is to be able to process 25,000 tonnes of textile waste per year by 2025. Lenzing has set itself the goal of recycling waste from all segments of its core business and developing innovative circular solutions together with potential partners within and outside the current value chain. "One company alone cannot solve the pressing problem of textile waste. It is proactive partnerships like this that enable us to move forward and bring about real systemic change. We are working hard to make our industries even more sustainable and to drive the transformation of the textile business model from linear to circular production. For this transformation to take place, further efforts from the entire industry are needed," explains Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Commercial Officer Fibre of the Lenzing Group.
Faserland
Filippa K Filippa K sees the new recycled material as an opportunity to transform in terms of circularity while not compromising on design and quality. "We are very excited to be the first brand to develop products based on Lenzing's OnceMore pulp and Refibra technology, supported by Riopele's creative expertise in yarn and fabric production. We are not alone. Collaboration is an essential step in the sustainable transformation of the industry. It is important for us to join forces with like-minded partners who are innovators in their respective fields," says Jodi Everding, Vice President Sustainability at Filippa K. The cooperation between Södra, Lenzing, Riopele and Filippa K shows that a circular economy is possible in the fashion industry - if companies are willing to share their knowledge and resources to find sustainable solutions and reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry.
Info
Södra The association was founded in 1938 and is currently the largest forest owners' association in Sweden with 51,000 family forest owners. Together they own a world-leading industry that processes forest raw materials into renewable products such as pulp, wood, building systems, liquid bioproducts and energy.
Riopele Founded in 1927, Riopele is one of Portugal's oldest textile manufacturers. in Portugal. Riopele invests in the production of high-qualitfabrics from natural, synthetic, man-made and recycled fibres, using sustainable and is committed to sustainable practices throughout the company.
Lenzing The group of companies stands for ecologically responsible production of fibers from the renewable raw material wood. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner to global textile and nonwovens manufacturers and drives many new technological developments.