Sustainability forms the foundation of Fjällräven’s brand identity so adopting a fresh zero waste initiative comes as no surprise for Sweden’s heritage outdoor label. Launching Samlaren, Swedish for “The Gatherer” — the new concept is built around not letting materials go to waste. The brand aims to breathe new life into surplus fabrics leftover from its own mills and factories to rework some of its classic silhouettes.
Revered for pushing the boundaries of environmental innovation, functionality and design, the idea of upcycling for Fjällräven can be traced back to its conception. Founder Åke Nordin stored unused parts of the brand’s signature G-1000 material during the development of its Thermo Tent. This leftover fabric was in turn upcycled to produce the first iteration of its iconic Greenland jacket in 1968. Now, 53 years on, Fjällräven introduces this process as a staple to its collections.
Speaking on the design process and rarity of the latest initiative, Global Creative Director Henrik Andersson says “We refuse to throw away any materials during development, so it is completely designed around what fabrics and colors are leftover. In other words, we start with what we have not what we’d want, and then try to be as clever as possible when putting the fabrics together.”
For the inaugural release, it’s only right Fjällräven revisits some of its classic styles including its Greenland jacket which started the journey, the iconic Kånken backpack, a selection of tote bags and a cap. Due to the scarcity of the fabrics, innovative design solutions such as channeling a color block aesthetic to mix-and-match the materials unifies the modernizing of these heritage pieces for suitable use in both urban environments as well as outdoor expeditions.
Careful considerations have also been made to allow Fjällräven to adopt its mission of utilizing 100% waste from excess materials without compromising the brand’s renowned outdoor functionality and durability. Therefore, the upcoming Samlaren line will continue to drop as capsule collections in limited quantities, numbered for collectibility and all dependant on availability.
The first Fjällräven Samlaren capsule collection will be available to purchase on March 1 on the brand’s website and select retailers.
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