In cooperation with “The Circular Design Speeds / Design For Performance'', Scandinavian sustainable fashion brand Filippa K developed, what they call “The Eternal Trench Coat'' - a timeless classic trench style inspired by the slow speeds of nature.

Made from a technical cycle utilising recycled polyester from plastic bottles, the garment is designed to be durable and recyclable at its eventual end.

The throwaway culture has pushed the fashion industry into a wasteful cycle, driven by the constant demand for new. Nowadays, products that are designed to last for a long time usually end up only being used once or twice before they get discarded.

Moreover, polyester, a fibre that was designed to replace cotton in 1940, is a material often associated with negative connotations. However, despite being one of the most preferred textiles for fast fashion retailers, polyester is actually considered the slowest material of all taking 200 years to biodegrade.

Started in 2016, the industry-embedded project Circular Design Speeds takes a unique systemic approach, showcasing what could be accomplished using existing value chains as well as what the future of sustainable fashion holds.

As one of the collaborators in the project, Filippa K produced a coat that is 100% recycled and recyclable, as well as a concept dress that is 100% bio-based and biodegradable.

The company experimented with recycled polyester material sourced from single-use objects like PET bottles. They also parnered with We aRe SpinDye to colour The Eternal Trench Coat, reducing chemical usage by 90% and energy usage by 75%.

They also used the environmentally friendly technology Organotex to provide durable protection against water, snow, and stains from various liquids.

In addition, they also give a '10 Yeras of Care' guarantee to help care for the product. Customer can bring the coat back into one of the stores for any repairs, ensuring the product can last for a very long time.

Through this process they have developed new ways to use recycled materials in fashion, new technology to extend the life of clothing, and new insights for designing with future garments with full recyclability in mind.

As it is known, prolonging the active life of a piece of clothing by just 9 months has shown that it can significantly decrease the environmental impact by 20-30%. 

This product made it to full commercialisation as well as the permanent collection of the V&A museum in London.

With a focus on products’ length of use and maximizing fabric value retention, Filippa K is also dedicated to becoming fully circular by 2030.

Photo by Natalia Sobolivska on Unsplash