Kanken backpacks have been a personal fave of mine ever since I got gifted one for my birthday – nothing else really compares for a basic lightweight backpack that just does the job. Now, they’ve gone the extra mile with Kanken Re-wool.
Fjällräven proves sustainable wool is more than just baselayers and sweaters. Like most outdoor apparel and accessory brands, wool is a popular textile to be using. However, a few seasons ago, Fjällräven decided to try using wool outside the norm of baselayers and sweaters.
After researching ways they could incorporate wool into their unique offerings, the company is bringing wool to its most popular family: Kanken.
Fjällräven’s latest collection uses recycled wool – called Re-Wool, to create a special edition Kanken. Made from a combination of G-1000 HeavyDuty Eco S and a wool mix fabric that consists of 80 percent pre-consumer recycled wool from Prato, Italy and 20 percent recycled nylon for enhanced strength.
The weave type is called Melton, and it was first developed in Britain to include weather resistant qualities.
“We feel it gives Kanken a lot of personality while telling a really great story about recycled wool,” stated Fredrik Hyltén, Fjällräven’s Hardwear Designer.
The recycled-wool is made up of mainly pre-consumer leftovers that has been colour sorted, shredded and re-spun. This means it saves water and energy as you do not need to re-dye it.
“We use to focus on the end functionality and sourced wool based on that,” said Christiane, Head of Sustainability at Fjällräven.
“Now, instead of taking the product as a starting point, we take the raw material as the starting point and see what we can do with it.”
Fjällräven now uses so much recycled wool, the Textile Exchange has listed Fjällräven as one of the top ten brands for its use of recycled wool by volume.
The sustainability story doesn’t stop at wool for Fjällräven.
Another key aspect Fjällräven focuses on is traceability. If you know where your wool is coming from, you can be sure sustainability within animal welfare, society and the environment is enforced. Fjällräven believes in sourcing for many different places as the best way to ensure long-term sustainability and a resilient supply chain.
