Norrøna and Uluu develop seaweed-based fibres for outdoor apparel
Norwegian outdoor brand Norrøna is working with Australian materials company Uluu to develop performance fibres made largely from seaweed, exploring an alternative to conventional fossil-based synthetic materials in technical clothing.
The partners have already produced an initial spun fibre using seaweed-derived polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) as a core ingredient. Norrøna will now assess its durability and performance with one of its key suppliers before deciding whether the material could be used in future products.
From seaweed to technical textiles
Uluu’s process converts sugars from farmed seaweed through saltwater fermentation into natural polymers that can be processed into fibres. The company says its materials are designed to biodegrade and have passed marine and home biodegradability tests, although the suitability of finished outdoor textiles will still need to be demonstrated through product testing.
Unlike some crop-based feedstocks, seaweed does not require agricultural land and uses little freshwater or fertiliser. The companies are investigating whether these characteristics can support a lower-impact material system without compromising the resilience expected of outdoor clothing.
Norrøna to test performance requirements
Jørgen Jørgensen, Norrøna’s CEO and fourth-generation owner, said: “Building the next generation of outdoor materials requires brands to get involved before every question has been answered.” He said the company’s experience developing technical clothing would help shape the fibre around real outdoor performance demands.
Brad Boren, Norrøna’s Director of Innovation and Sustainability, said the company’s role was to test the material and feed the findings back into development. “By bringing our performance requirements into the process early, we can help shape a new material around the demands of outdoor use,” he said.
Uluu co-founder and co-CEO Dr Julia Reisser said: “We’re harnessing that biology to transform seaweed into natural, plastic-like materials.”
Part of a longer materials strategy
The research supports Norrøna’s Responsibility Roadmap 2029, which includes goals covering sourcing, carbon, biodiversity and waste. The company already uses recycled polyester and nylon in its collections and has offered repairs since its founding in 1929.
Norrøna has also partnered with the Bellona Foundation since 2024 to support kelp forest restoration in northern Norway. The company says the Uluu collaboration is at an early stage and no commercial product launch has been confirmed.
For outdoor brands and retailers, the project is an example of suppliers and manufacturers testing new raw materials at the fibre-development stage rather than simply replacing existing fabrics at the final garment stage.
Source: Norrøna and Uluu media release, 3 November 2026. Image supplied with the release.
