As the ultimate antidote to Black Friday and Cyber Monday consumption, over the weekend Filippa K presented the results of their two year sustainable research project ‘Circular Design Speeds’, in collaboration with Mistra Future fashion, at an exhibition at UAL.

2018 has been the year that fashion finally woke up to its responsibilities. And as fast fashion, and the waste produced by the fashion industry more widely, have come under increasing scrutiny, Swedish brand Filippa K has worked to find a solution.

The results of the project are not only exciting from an environmental perspective, but also in terms of style. Both the 100% recycled and recyclable coat and the  biodegradable dress maintain Filippa K’s classic, timeless aesthetic and high quality, while taking the conversation forward. 

Crucially this new research comes from a major fashion brand rather than an experimental and emerging designer. The learnings and results show that when companies choose to put their resources into sustainable innovation, the results can be truly impactful and redirect the standardised path. 

These first creations, as well as the research process, were shown at the ‘Disrupting  Patterns’ exhibition at the University of Arts in London, alongside a series of talks and lectures aimed at sharing the findings of their projects with the larger fashion community.

In order to transform the linear (thinking) production cycle into a circular system we need understandable and simple examples, role models. Upcycling waste into beautifully naturally dyed dresses is just one of many fruitful ways of doing it – hopefully it will plant a seed to transformation,” explained Marie-Louise Hellgren, Designer at Heart & Earth Production at Filippa K.

As the fashion industry is forced to address the mounting crisis that its practice is contributing to, championing brands that embrace cyclical production is no longer a nicety, but a necessity. 

Tags: Filippa K, Sustainable fashion