Fjällräven celebrates the introduction of the Axfoundation’s Swedish Wool Standard

Fjällräven is standing alongside The Swedish Wool Initiative on a transformative journey towards a more sustainable fashion future.

A significant amount of Sweden’s wool is wasted and this initiative aims to change that by introducing the first Swedish wool classification system. This allows brands like Fjällräven to pick the right quality of wool for each product in order to put the wool to best use, creating as many functional, high-quality products as possible from a raw material that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Giving discarded wool from Sweden a new life

Fjällräven’s journey of repurposing unused wool from Sweden began several years ago when the brand sought new ways to reduce its environmental footprint. Fjällräven’s R&D team met Jenny Andersson and Hans Bulthius, the founders of Ullkontoret in Gotland, Sweden. They aimed to address the issue of wasted wool as a by-product of sheep farming. The Fjällräven team was shocked to discover that over 1,000 tonnes of Swedish wool were being burned or ending up in landfill annually. Recognising the value of this wool, they decided to join forces with Ulkontoret and utilise this wool in Fjällräven products, giving it a new purpose. This led to the creation of Fjällräven’s Recovered Wool, repurposing discarded wool as padding in jackets and backpack backplates – breathing new life into this abandoned material. One challenge of this initiative, however, was the inconsistent quality of the wool, and this is where the Axfoundation’s Swedish Wool Standard and Fjällräven’s Recovered Wool journey intersect.

Elevating quality and sustainability

Thanks to The Swedish Wool Initiative, Recovered Wool now boasts a distinct quality classification. This collaboration stands as a vital part of Fjällräven’s overarching Wool Promise – promoting transparency and sustainability within the brand‘s wool supply chain.

“Functional and precious, natural materials should never go to waste. They represent a preferred alternative to fossil-based synthetics. The Swedish Wool Standard resonates with this mission, making significant strides in circularity and sustainability within the textile industry,” said Fjällräven product developer Johanna Mollberg.

Learn more about The Swedish Wool Standard at https://www.axfoundation.se/en/projects/the-swedish-wool-initiative  

Learn more about Fjällräven’s different types of wool here: https://foxtrail.fjallraven.com/articles/allwool.