Material innovation company Spinnova’s collaboration with iconic design house Marimekko has been recognized as a finalist in the Sustainability category in Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design Awards. The collaboration was also awarded an honourable mention in the Experimental category.

Marimekko and Spinnova have been collaborating on developing and commercializing new, wood-based textiles since 2017. ”Spinnova’s innovation addresses the environmental impacts of the fashion and textile industries, as the manufacture of textile fibre made with Spinnova’s method includes nearly 100% less water than cotton production, no harmful chemicals and 100% circularity,” the company said in a press communication today.

“This truly is innovation by design, as Marimekko’s designers have been involved in the collaboration early on. Making a market entry for a novel material speeds up when experimental minds come together, and also make their collaboration transparent to consumers. We’re thrilled that the Fast Company acknowledged it,” commented Spinnova’s CEO and co-founder Janne Poranen.

The Marimekko prototype outfits produced as part of the collaboration, including the first ever printed clothing made from Spinnova’s fibre, were introduced in February 2020. Outfits featuring Marimekko’s iconic Unikko (poppy) print and the company’s signature stripes demonstrate the great potential of the material innovation for a more sustainable future of the textile industry, Spinnova said.

“We are very honoured by Fast Company’s accolade. At Marimekko, we believe that timeless and long-lasting design that brings joy to our customers for many years is also a sustainable choice. Material choices play an important role in the work to maximize a product’s life cycle and make it as sustainable as possible. Together with Spinnova, we have been able to take major steps in developing new sustainable materials from wood-based fibres,” said Minna Kemell-Kutvonen, Design and Product Development Director of Prints and Home Products at Marimekko.

“In just two years, the partnership has brought great progress in creating end products made with Spinnova’s material that fulfill the fashion and textile industry’s quality and sustainability requirements,” the company added.

“One of the most sought-after design awards in the industry, Innovation by Design is the only competition to honour creative work at the intersection of design, business, and innovation. The awards recognize people, teams, and companies solving problems through design.”

The winners, finalists and honourable mentions of the 2020 Innovation by Design Awards will be featured online today and, in the October,/November 2020 issue of Fast Company magazine. Over 567 projects, products, and services from Spotify, Google, Disney+, and others were submitted for the awards in 2020.

To see the complete list of categories and honourees, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/innovation-by-design/2020ABOUT

www.spinnova.com

www.marimekko.com