JYVÄSKYLÄ, Finland — March 11, 2020 — Finnish sustainability pioneer in sustainable workwear, Touchpoint, and innovation company Spinnova have today introduced their first demo product, the Tapio apron in the Gastro Helsinki event. The apron, made of Spinnova’s highly sustainable fiber, is very likely the world’s most ecological piece of workwear to date.
The objective of this collaboration is ultimately to make the world’s most sustainable workwear collection. The Tapio prototype apron, named after the ancient Finnish god of the forest, is 100-percent wood-based, made without harmful chemicals and quickly biodegradable. Its most interesting circular feature is the fact that the apron can be recycled into new fibre in the Spinnova process, without dismantling. The apron contains no materials that shed microplastics, and has no plastic or metal parts to weaken its recyclability. The Tapio apron is also undyed and uncoated.
“Every detail is carefully considered so that there is nothing unnecessary in the apron. We think it’s beautiful in its simplicity and sustainability,” says Touchpoint’s CEO Outi Luukko.
Touchpoint was one of the first brand owners to start collaborating with Spinnova in 2018. Spinnova has found a common value foundation, and Touchpoint’s brave and open-minded willingness to make trials important factors in the collaboration.
“Touchpoint wanted to join our journey long before we knew much about the technical or commercial development of our fibre, and wanted to publicly introduce a demo product before knowing when a collection is possible. This calls for a passionate approach on sustainability from a textile brand,” commented Spinnova’s CEO Janne Poranen.
“We are born curious and have grown to turn challenges into possibilities. We need solutions that don’t burden our environment and that can in the future replace, for example, cotton production. We started with an apron that helps us raise discussion and spread awareness of the possibilities this will offer to a more ecological workwear scene and the entire textile industry,” described Luukko.
Another demo product will follow the Tapio apron, although a complete commercial workwear collection is possible a bit further down the road. Spinnova is now in the pre-commercial stage and planning its first commercial production facility.
Posted March 11, 2020
Source: Spinnova
