The two-year-old joint product development partnership between Finnish fiber manufacturer Spinnova and Danish apparel conglomerate Bestseller has finally borne fashion fruit.
Bestseller, which produces the labels Vero Moda, Only and Noisy May among more than 18 others, has released the first product from the collaboration, a pair of men’s trousers for its biggest label, Jack & Jones. The pants are called the Bill Revolver Wide Chino and are made of 20 percent Spinnova fiber, 20 percent BCI cotton and 60 percent organic cotton. They are available online and at monobrand and wholesale accounts globally for $69.99 and come in ecru or pink.
Spinnova has developed patented technology for making textile fiber out of wood or waste, such as leather, textile or agricultural waste, without harmful chemicals. Its fibers create zero waste and side streams or microplastics, and their CO2 emissions and water use are minimal. They are quickly biodegradable and have the same hand feel as natural fibers such as cotton or linen.
Spinnova’s first commercial product made with a Spinnova blend was launched this year with Adidas and ARKET. The former is the Terrex HS1 mid-layer hoodie that is made with at least 30 percent of Spinnova fiber. The latter, the first from the H&M Group to employ the fiber, is a men’s overshirt that is 18 percent Spinnova fiber and 82 percent sustainably sourced cotton.
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The partnership between Bestseller and Spinnova was matchmade by the Fashion for Good initiative that brings likeminded companies together. It and the resulting pants are part of Bestseller’s sustainability strategy called Fashion FWD. One of its goals is to bring new branded and certified fibers to the market by 2025.
“At Jack & Jones we believe in a better way of making clothes. We push ourselves to innovate and explore processes and materials with a lower impact on the environment,” said Elena Osenbrüg, head of sustainability at Jack & Jones. “In Spinnova we found a strong partner to step up. After visiting Spinnova’s mill in Finland, seeing how pristine the fiber production is, and close work with our buying team to create a statement piece, I am excited to see the first Jack & Jones product made with Spinnova fiber on market.”
“Bestseller is one of our long-term brand partners and we are glad to be an integral part of their ambitious sustainability strategy, Fashion FWD, in the 70 markets they operate in,” said Spinnova’s CEO Kim Poulsen. “That’s why it’s great to get to see the launch of their first product with Spinnova fiber that is now available for all their consumers.”
This product launch is an important step in Spinnova’s planned growth. Its first commercial scale factory is expected to be completed in Finland at the end of this year. Together with its investor and joint venture partner Suzano, Spinnova, which was founded in January 2015, aims to scale its global production to one million tons of sustainable fiber annually within the next 10 to 12 years.