The Extended Closed Loop
A system of intelligent and effective resource management for textiles through an innovative circular model, a design guideline and a digital tool.
THE PROBLEM
Within the last ten years we have experienced around 40% increase in fashion consumption and textile waste globally. This leaves us faced with increased environmental pollution, mass disposal of textile waste into landfills and resource scarcity. Up to 70% of a product’s impact can be decided in the design process. Today, most designers are educated to bring new products into the market and with little or no attention to how the products can be reused or recycled as materials.
THE INNOVATION
The Extended Closed Loop model offers a design guideline to create valuable recyclable products with defined non-toxic content. It offers a digital tool that ensures traceability of the products, as well as recyclability in the circular system for production and recycling companies. Thereby it enables the use of materials to their full capacity. The key is a coherent connection and collaboration between all parts of the cycle. This provides an overall solution to the problem for resource scarcity and how to make a circular system beneficial for companies, customers and the environment.
THE VISION
Ina Budde is a future-thinking fashion designer with a focus on closed-loop solutions and resource effectiveness. During her studies of fashion design at HAW Hamburg, she developed several collections with different sustainable approaches.
“I am driven by a passion to create products that have meaning, a long and effective life and endless value.”
– Ina Budde / Innovator ECL