Sustainable Collections by Kirkby Design
Kirkby Design, part of The Romo Group, puts sustainability at the forefront of its design and development in these four innovative collections, responsibly melding style with practicality. A study into recycled products and sustainable materials directed and informed the creation of four original collections, Wave, Flow, Leaf and Fleck Eco, that all reduce the impact on the environment without compromising on quality. As well as using recycled and sustainable yarns, all fabrics in these ranges are fully recyclable, meaning they can be repurposed for future use and are therefore ‘circular’ in nature.
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As part of Kirkby Design’s commitment to reducing the impact on the environment with these collections, they have partnered with two charitable organisations and will be donating 5% of income generated from every metre sold to one of our chosen charities for the lifetime of the collection.
The organisations Kirkby Design have partnered with focus on two key areas of environmental importance, for Wave and Flow, produced from recycled plastic, we have partnered with the Marine Conservation Society, a charity centred around plastic waste reduction. For the collections that use natural recycled materials, Fleck Eco and Leaf II, we chose to support Trees for Life, a charity focused on reforestation projects in the Scottish Highlands, helping combat climate change.
‘Whilst supporting our commitment to the environment and adapting to our consumer’s needs, we wanted to create a range of textiles that were sustainable and stylish. Working closely with the mills, we were able to create four collections that are recyclable, eco-friendly and completely sustainable.’ – Jordan Mould, Brand Director
Flow
A tactile semi-plain and two contemporary designs make for a sophisticated, versatile collection of recycled jacquard weaves, made from 100% PET recycled polyester yarns produced from waste plastic bottles.
MAGMA
A tonal appearance and irregular weave effect give depth and intrigue to this tactile semi-plain.
FLOW
An organic, multi-coloured pixelated design creating a contemporary, textured look presented in a concise palette of on-trend colour combinations
STACK
Tessellating blocks of colour form a retro, small scale geometric weave.
As part of Kirkby Design’s commitment to reducing the impact on the environment with the Flow collection, they have partnered with Marine Conservation Society and will be donating 5% of income generated from every metre sold for the lifetime of the collection. The Marine Conservation Society is the UK’s leading charity for the protection of our seas, shores and wildlife. For more information, please visit www.mcsuk.org.
RECYCLING PROCESS:
Waste plastic bottles are first cleaned and made into flakes which are blended, melted and turned into chips. The chips are melted, extruded and made into a fibre which is then spun into a PET polyester yarn, the yarn is then dyed and woven into fabric. Approximately 100 x 0.5L waste plastic bottles are used to produce 1m of fabric.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS:
• Water used during production is recycled for reuse in the process, further minimising the impact on the environment.
• All fabrics in the Flow collection are fully recyclable, meaning they can be repurposed for future use and are therefore ‘circular’ in nature.
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS) Certified
• ECO-PATH certified
PRODUCT INFORMATION:
• Suitable for drapes, accessories and upholstery (must be treated with an appropriate fire retardancy treatment for upholstery in the UK)
Wave
Crafted from 100% PET recycled polyester yarns produced from waste plastic bottles, Wave puts sustainability at the forefront of its design and development, bringing a more responsible approach to interiors. Featuring a subtle woven moiré effect and a soft finish that belies its plastic origins, this textural plain is accentuated by a contemporary, tonal palette.
As part of Kirkby Design’s commitment to reducing the impact on the environment, they have partnered with Marine Conservation Society and will be donating 5% of income generated from every metre sold for the lifetime of the collection. The Marine Conservation Society is the UK’s leading charity for the protection of our seas, shores and wildlife. For more information, please visit www.mcsuk.org.
RECYCLING PROCESS:
Waste plastic bottles are first cleaned and made into flakes which are blended, melted and turned into chips. The chips are melted, extruded and made into a fibre which is then spun into a yarn, the yarn is then dyed and woven into fabric. Approximately 100 x 0.5L waste plastic bottles are used to produce 1m of Wave.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS:
• Water used during production is recycled for reuse in the process, further minimising the impact on the environment.
• No chemicals or softeners are used during the finishing process ensuring the production of this product remains as environmentally friendly as possible.
• The manufacturing of this fabric benefits from large solar panel farms that supply energy to the production plant.
• Wave is fully recyclable, meaning it can be repurposed for future use and is therefore ‘circular’ in nature
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS) Certified
• OEKO-TEX certified
PRODUCT INFORMATION:
• 34 Colours
• Suitable for drapes, accessories and upholstery (must be treated with an appropriate fire retardancy treatment for upholstery in the UK)
Leaf II
Supporting eco-sustainability, this 100% recycled wool felt uses reconstituted wool yarns from the fashion industry. The recycled wool yarns are first sorted and then blended together to form a unique colour palette, synonymous to Kirkby Design’s contemporary style. With an intriguing mottled appearance, a soft finish gives a tactile touch to this robust textile.
As part of Kirkby Design’s commitment to reducing the impact on the environment with the Leaf collection, they have partnered with Trees for Life and will be donating 5% of income generated from every metre sold for the lifetime of the collection. Trees for Life are a rewilding charity in the Scottish Highlands focused on reforestation and biodiversity.
RECYCLING PROCESS:
Unwanted woollen fabrics including clothing, knits and offcuts from the fashion industry are collected to be repurposed into new wool yarns. They are first sorted and separated by colour, then shredded and blended together then spun into new fibres ready to be woven.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS:
• The manufacturing process runs under the Cardato Regenerated & CO2 neutral brand. This is a brand that assesses the emission of carbon dioxide during textile production. It is, therefore, able to calculate the impact of each textile product produced. Emission credits are used to cover the cost of replanting trees and forests in order to compensate for the amount of CO2 emitted during production.
• Leaf II is fully recyclable, meaning it can be repurposed for future use and is therefore ‘circular’ in nature.
• Global Recycled Standard (GRS) Certified
PRODUCT INFORMATION:
• 38 New Colours, 8 Existing
• Suitable for upholstery, drapes and accessories
Fleck
Reengineered as a sustainable addition to Kirkby Design’s plains portfolio, Fleck Eco has been adapted to become a more environmentally conscious, textured chenille that retains the muchloved speckled aesthetic of the original Fleck fabric. Fleck Eco combines recycled wool and acrylic yarns with Tencel lyocell and 100% PET recycled polyester yarns. The recycled wool and acrylic yarns are reconstituted from the fashion industry, whilst Tencel lyocell is a sustainable yarn that
originates from fast growing eucalyptus trees. The 100% PET recycled polyester yarns are produced from waste plastic bottles.
As part of Kirkby Design’s commitment to reducing the impact on the environment with the Fleck Eco collection, they have partnered with Trees for Life and will be donating 5% of income generated from every metre sold for the lifetime of the collection. Trees for Life are a rewilding charity in the Scottish Highlands focused on reforestation and biodiversity.
HOW THE PRODUCT IS MADE:
The wool yarns are obtained from recycled clothing, knits and unused fabric offcuts from the fashion industry. Fibres are carded, a process that allows fibres of different lengths to be extracted from highly mixed compositions whilst impurities are discarded. The repurposed yarns are then blended together and spun into new fibres ready to be woven.
The acrylic also comes directly from these recycled textiles and is carded along with the wool and spun into new fibres ready to be woven.
The Tencel lyocell is sourced from fast growing eucalyptus trees – wood chips are made which are then broken down into pulp, turned into Tencel fibre and spun into yarn. Tencel lyocell is a more sustainable alternative to Viscose as the solvent used to dissolve the cellulose is over 97% recoverable and the production requires very little water.
The polyester is used to tie these fibres together and is sourced from recycled plastic bottles. The bottles are ground down to produce PET polyester (Polyethylene terephthalate), this is then melted down to produce filaments which are then spun into yarn.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS:
• Water used during production is recycled for reuse in the process, further minimising the impact on the environment.
• Solar panels are used to power parts of the production of Fleck Eco
• Fleck Eco is fully recyclable, meaning it can be repurposed for future use and are therefore ‘circular’ in nature.
PRODUCT INFORMATION:
• 43 Colours
• 47% Tencel Lyocell, 28% Recycled Wool, 20% Recycled Acrylic, 5% Recycled Polyester
• Suitable for upholstery, drapes and accessories
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