Sustainable Synergy: Circular Collaboration

Sustainable Synergy: Circular Collaboration

The future of fashion is circular. But a key factor in making circularity a reality is transparency, which relies on collaboration throughout the entire supply chain.

Creating a blueprint for working together, Lenzing, Officina +39 and Meidea teamed up to develop The Circle Book, a lookbook of low-impact apparel for today’s consumer needs. Concepts include tailored yet comfortable pieces for home life, pieces with technical functionality for those on the go and fashion with multicultural, vintage influences, all made with innovative fibers and responsible dyes utilizing fabrics from Calik (Turkey), Candiani Denim (Italy), Prosperity (China), Santanderina (Spain),  Tejidos Royo (Spain),  and Tat Fung(China).

The book functions as a call to action to “Act Together,” and aims to educate the next generation of designers in creating more responsible garments.

In their own words, the collaborators share their thoughts on the project’s origins and impact.

Lucia Rosin, Meidea

“The Circle Book was born from the thought that our actions can be, in synergy and collaboration, very powerful and effective. It was created during the lockdown and contains all the meaning and will of our future actions: being able to trace what we wear from the field to the shop, in fact transparency is the basis of the entire project.

Moving away from the concept of linear economy, we worked in collaboration to develop a new mentality and be proactive in a circular economy perspective. Through our choices and by investigating the materials, starting from fibers, selected materials, garment design and final treatment, we wanted to create a new path in the training of aware designers. We sought inspiration from our daily life, in our travel and experiences, far from the concept of seasonality. Cooperating, we have discovered intelligent solutions in the use of fabrics, we have expanded their functionality, enriching garments with sustainable colors and finishes. This selection of outfits emphasizes the pleasure of wearing beauty with attention to comfort. The Circle Book brings together the message that by collaborating and adopting a holistic vision, we are able to create better quality and work for our well-being.”

Andrea Venier, Officina +39 producer of Recycrom™

“The Circle Book is an example of sustainable innovation. Aimed at fashion designers and brands. A way to trace a new way of designing sustainable fashion. Using digital technologies and developing only the necessary in the R&D stage.

I believe the future will be less fashion shows, less luxury and waste, and more attention to sustainability and creativity. This is what inspired The Circle Book. REFIBRA™ and Recycrom™ are good ambassadors for this.

The Circle Book is one of the first concrete outcomes of a more general call to action in our market, which becomes a valid reason to send a positive message to an industry tried hard by the pandemic but which, despite the lockdown and forced isolation due to the coronavirus, continues to produce innovation, collaboration and new initiatives.”

Tricia Carey, Lenzing producer of TENCEL™ Lyocell

“We see now how interconnected we are.  Today we are not part of a supply chain; we are a supply network where fibers, chemical producers, spinners, weavers, finishers, designers, brands all come together to share their best.  Each can make a difference to lower the environmental footprint of the total garment.  This is where we come together, as like-minded people who are part of pioneering companies.

TENCEL™ Lyocell transforms trees into fiber by utilization of a closed loop production process.  Additionally TENCEL™ Fibers are biodegradable and compostable, making circularity part of TENCEL™.  The next generation of TENCEL™ Lyocell is REFIBRA™ Technology which upcycles cotton waste to make a new fiber, bringing another layer of circularity.

The Circle Book is a medley of our collaboration where we collected our ideas reducing waste with inspiring designs. “

For a short introduction video click here.

In the spirit of collaboration, we invite you to get in touch with us to share your thoughts about the book and to discuss the concept in more detail.