Field Journal

Swedish outdoor clothing and equipment company, Fjällräven, takes steps towards its zero-waste goal with a new initiative – the Samlaren collection
Written By Harriet Osborne // Photography by Fjällräven

Hailing from the small town of Örnsköldsvik in Sweden, a place where mountains and forests meet the sea, Fjällräven has been exploring sustainability solutions since it was founded in 1960.

Fjällräven’s founder, Åke Nordin, believed that the more people experienced nature, the more likely they would be to look after it. So it became his duty to facilitate outdoor pursuits while building a brand with sustainability at its core.

While developing Fjällräven’s ground-breaking Thermo Tent in his parents’ basement, Åke stowed away a roll of fabric that didn’t make the cut. A few years later, he used this very same fabric to make the first ever Greenland Jacket, a hard-wearing garment that is still worn and loved by urban and outdoor adventurers to this day.

Now, Fjällräven is using leftover fabric to create a unique new collection – Samlaren, the Swedish word for ‘the gatherer’ – in the brand’s latest step towards their zero-waste goal.
Products in the first Samlaren collection are made out of surplus G-1000 fabric, Fjällräven’s cornerstone material used in everything from backpacks to jackets and trousers. It’s a densely woven fabric made from 65 per cent polyester and 35 per cent cotton. The material is coated with Fjällräven’s Greenland Wax, a hardy mix of paraffin and beeswax, to enhance its wind- and water-resistant properties. The collection includes the Greenland Jacket in colour block patchwork, the iconic Kånken backpack, and updated versions of the tote bag and cap.

Christiane Dolva Törnberg, Head of Sustainability at Fjällräven, is responsible for discovering new ways to reduce the brand’s carbon footprint. ‘Material production requires a lot of resources, raw materials, energy, water, and chemicals, and then there are the emissions created along the way,’ she says. ‘With Samlaren, our ambition is to find new uses for existing leftover material and not let anything go to waste.’

Since 2000, Fjällräven has launched a number of sustainable products and initiatives, including Eco-Shell, a highly functional fabric made from recycled polyester, and The Fjällräven Way, the brand’s code of conduct highlighting their commitment to the environment.

Christiane adds: ‘If we become as efficient as we want to be in our product development, we will not have any leftover materials to work with. But we have learned through this project that there is great potential for creating products from materials already out there.’

The design process at Fjällräven ensures that each product is functional and timeless. Global Creative Director, Henrik Andersson, has adapted his way of working to achieve the brand’s aesthetic with the upcycled fabric.

He explains, ‘We start with what we have, not what we’d want, and then try to be as clever as possible when putting the fabrics together. For some fabrics we have very small quantities, meaning that the production run will be limited. The process is both simple and complex at the same time – a little challenging but very rewarding.’

Samlaren is a concept deep rooted in Fjällräven’s commitment to sustainability and zero waste. With a focus on simplicity and practicality, the brand continues to hold the utmost respect for the environment as it develops new products on nature’s terms. The full collection is now available from END clothing and fjallraven.com.