Filippa K showcases biodegradable dresses and recyclable coats

Following two years of research, Swedish label Filippa K has exhibited two new “industry-changing garments”, each with a focus on a more sustainable approach from the start to the end of the production process. The exhibition is part of the ‘Circular Design Speeds’ project, and is in partnership with Mistra Future Fashion and University of Arts London (UAL).

The garments - a 100 percent recycled commercial coat and a 100 percent biodegradable concept dress - are the newest editions to Filippa K’s Front Runners series - a series with a focus on more sustainably produced clothing, working towards the brand’s sustainability commitment for 2030. The two garments were made to represent “a new definition of ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ fashion" with a focus on the products’ length of use and maximum fabric value retention.

'Industry-changing garments’ with a focus on sustainability

The ‘Eternal Trench Coat’ is a 100 percent recycled and recyclable coat created with the help of recycling company Wolkat, which uses recycled polyester from plastic bottles. The dyeing process also reduces water usage by 75 percent and chemical usage by 90 percent. The coat is available for purchase at Filippa K stores and online.

The ‘Throw Away Dress’ is an innovative concept which allows the user to wear the garment a few times before throwing it into compost for it to biodegrade - so in theory you can simply throw your dress into your garden compost once it’s seen its fair use. The dress is created with completely biological Mogul non-woven Tencel material that avoids the costly processes of spinning and weaving, before being naturally dyed using food by Heart and Earth Production.

Filippa K’s Sustainability Director, Elin Larsson, said in a statement: “Being part of the fashion industry comes with many challenges, especially when considering the fact that we are the second most polluting industry after oil.

“Our industry needs to change and we believe adopting to circular models, like nature’s ecosystem, is one important solution. We want to be able offer beautiful clothing and to make business within the planetary boundaries.”

The ‘Disrupting Patterns’ exhibition took place at UAL from 24-25 November.

Photo credit: Mistra Future Fashion