The Future Of Swedish Fashion

It’s obvious in Sweden that designers and brands have sustainability on their minds. I know what you’re thinking. Sustainability? Really, how innovative. Isn’t this what everybody is saying? Yes and yes. Everyone should be thinking and living sustainably now. In Sweden, the sustainability you see isn’t just the material or the process of how the clothes are made but it’s the innovation and technology that goes hand in hand with it all. It’s all intertwined with sustainability at its core.

Here’s a few examples of where I see Swedish fashion is going.

Give it a 2nd chance

With brands like Rave Review and Hodakova we see creative re-use of fabrics and accessories giving it a whole new life. Hodakova for example turns old belts into bags, pantsuits into dresses and tops, well you get the picture. Rave Review, another Swedish favorite, identifies various innovative ways of transforming home textiles like towels, curtains and blankets into super cool clothing with a retro feel. And all their remake fashion is sourced and produced in Europe. They were also a semifinalist for the LVMH Prize and have participated in the Gucci Film Festival. As Laird Borrelli-Persson of Vogue describes, “Upcycling, which is the beating heart of Rave Review, lends itself to a cut-and-paste sort of aesthetic and it requires the designers to be creative about construction.”

Re-sell, exchange and rent

Today you have no excuse to throw your clothes away! There are so many options for you now in Sweden. I use Sellpy, an H&M company, to re-sell my clothes. They do everything from sending me bags to fill up, sorting, to photographing and selling the items. It’s super easy and great for people who may not have the time to do all the work. I also use RE/WAY to re-sell my pre-loved designer pieces. What I love about RE/WAY is that they’re supporting a more sustainable luxury consumption. Then there’s PopSwap, ReRobe and Gemme Collective which are all participating in the upcoming Stockholm Fashion Week. With PopSwap you basically swap clothes with others just like yourself constantly updating your wardrobe. How great is that? ReRobe is your place for re-loved fashion focusing on Scandinavian brands, high end pieces and even vintage! And last but not least with Gemme Collective you can rent from virtual closets and choose between 1, 3, 7 or 14-day rental. It really doesn’t get better than this, don’t you agree?

I see these examples as a new guard in Sweden but I have to also give credit to brands such as House of Dagmar who have had sustainability at its core since 2005! “We hold ourselves accountable to make sure we use the most sustainable alternative available, favoring materials with less impact on humans, animals and the environment, while still securing a good fit and quality of the garment.” They are also members of the Swedish Textile Initiative for Climate Action (STICA) which supports setting science-based targets with the ambition to reduce greenhouse gases. They publish a yearly progress report for the Swedish fashion industry and the individual brands as a part of aligning with the 1.5C pathway.
I recently read an article on Sweden.se saying “Fast fashion is out- circular fashion is in. Sweden is in it for the long-term”. I agree and this is the future of Swedish fashion.

By Susan Stjernberger