Finland is well known for its clean-cut Scandinavian design but not so well known for sustainable fashion—at least not yet.

Sustainable fashion has been a hot topic, but we are still far from the goal. The majority of the Finnish fashion industry is still operating “the old way” and not thinking about sustainability. In addition, the majority of Finnish consumers shop at fast fashion stores and supermarkets (yes, we have clothes in grocery stores as well).

However, a great deal of progress has taken place during the last years. A shift toward more-sustainable consumption is happening as more people come to value sustainability, and we see this new attitude starting to affect buying decisions. In addition, many of the newer clothing labels have ecological and ethical commitments as core values.

Essential to Eco-shift–New Business Models

Flea markets and secondhand stores are popular in Finland. People of all ages and social backgrounds shop secondhand. In addition to flea markets, there is also a different way to wear secondhand clothing: In Finland there are already three clothing libraries from which members can borrow clothes. The oldest one, Vaatelainaamo, is based in Helsinki, but new ones have emerged in Tampere and Järvenpää. New business models like clothing libraries are essential to making the shift toward sustainable consumerism.

Vaatelainaamo（Photographer: Hertta Päivärinta）

Finnish Sustainable Labels

Poola Kataryna

When it comes to clothing labels, one good example of a Finnish label that combines beautifully stylish design with sustainable production is Poola Kataryna. The label uses organic fabrics, leftover materials, and Finnish birch wood in its cutting-edge designs, which are produced in Finland and Estonia.

Poola Kataryna （Photographer: Maija Astikainen）

NURMI

Lahti-based clothing label Nurmi creates clothes that are made to last for years, in terms of both style and design. Nurmi uses materials such as hemp, recycled cotton, organic cotton, and leftover materials. The entire production process of each Nurmi garment is transparent.

In its next fall/winter (2014–2015) collection, Nurmi will launch jeans made out of 100% recycled cotton, which is a new Finnish innovation by Pure Waste Textiles. The company has developed the first denim made solely of pre-consumer waste, definitely a fabric of the future.

Nurmi（Photographer: Antti Ahtiluoto）

Sanna Rinne

Many small design labels utilize leftover materials from the Finnish clothing industry. One example is Sanna Rinne, who has developed an innovative method of upcycling surplus fabrics into new fabric surfaces.

Sanna Rinne（Photographer: Viivi Huuska）

Roots Cultural Movement

Roots Cultural Movement has another approach to sustainability: The company designs street wear from hemp and organic cotton. In addition to being a clothing label, RCM is also a shop based in Turku selling sustainable clothes and accessories from many Finnish eco labels.

Roots Cultural Movement（ Photographer: Essi Orpana）

Saana ja Olli

The most stylish example of Finnish sustainable textile design is Saana ja Olli. This lovely couple from Turku designs timeless hemp textiles with graphic prints.

Saana ja Olli（Photographer: Unto Rautio）

Shops&Magazines

A small but growing number of clothing stores are dedicated to sustainable fashion in Finland. The widest—and most stylish—selection of sustainable clothes and textiles is at Nudge Helsinki. You can also find a wide range of small Finnish ecological clothing labels from Weecos online marketplace.

Nudge（Photographer Sampsa Pärnänen）

One interesting newcomer in the field of print media is Huili, a Finnish lifestyle magazine promoting sustainability with style. It has a modern and fresh layout and runs interesting articles about everything related to sustainable living, from food to energy and from books to fashion.

Huili and the other shops and brands mentioned in this article show that sustainability and style can go hand in hand and the Finnish sustainable-clothing industry has a bright future.

Thanks for the Contribution by...
Anniina Nurmi, Designer&Founder of NURMI
The writer is a Finnish fashion designer and a specialist in the sustainable clothing industry. She is also the founder of clothing label Nurmi.
Website: http://www.nurmiclothing.com/
Blog: http://www.vihreatvaatteet.com/