Material choices play an important role, for example, in our aim to reduce our environmental impact and improve transparency in our value chain. Learn about our material transition journey.
Our aim
At Marimekko, we have set ambitious sustainability targets to our own operations as well as, for example, to textile materials we use. Our material strategy is one of the tools to reduce our environmental footprint. By the end of 2025, we want a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases and a 50% reduction in the water scarcity score per kg of sourced textiles, compared to the base level of 2019.
How we’re transforming our material selection
To live up to our standards of long-lasting, timeless products that bring you years of joy, we’re reducing our use of conventional materials and shifting to alternatives that are, e.g., less-emission intensive and use less water, chemicals, and fossil resources while maintaining quality and longevity.
Our material strategy was created in 2021, and since then, we’ve continuously increased the use of organic, recycled, certified and more traceable materials in our collections. Our hope is that we can ultimately have more and more circular materials that can be recycled several times without a decline in the quality or longevity of the fibers.
We strive to use materials that help to reduce the environmental impact of our value chain. Find out more about some of our materials choices.
Organic materials
Organic materials
The organic materials we are using have a certificate according to one of the organic standards. The standards related to the certificates include both environmental and social criteria. For example, most standards require that organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides, making it safer for farm workers and the environment. The cultivation of organic cotton uses less water, on average, and has a smaller impact on the climate than conventional cotton.
Recycled materials, upcycled materials
Recycled materials, upcycled materials
The recycled materials we are using have a certificate. Recycled fibers as well as upcycled materials typically save natural resources and improve resource efficiency compared to using virgin materials. Water use and climate impact is often lower when using recycled natural materials and synthetic materials. In the latter, the recycled fibers reduce the need to use virgin fossil resources.
We use, for example, recycled cotton, recycled polyester, as well as recycled down and feathers in our products.
Certified wool
Certified wool
Responsibility certificates for wool include, e.g., criteria for animal welfare as well as environmental and social criteria. When our materials include certified wool, it means that a third party has verified that the wool used comes from farms that take care of soil health, animal welfare, working conditions, and health and safety of workers.
Certified down and feathers
Certified down and feathers
The virgin down and feathers used by Marimekko have responsibility certificates. This means that a third party has ensured that the down and/or feathers come from farms which protect animal welfare.
More traceable leather
More traceable leather
Marimekko’s product assortment includes leather products, such as leather bags. The leather used in Marimekko’s products is always a by-product of meat production as we only accept leather from animals that have been bred for food production. In the spring 2023, we joined the global Leather Working Group initiative that is committed to building a more sustainable supply chain for leather. We continuously aim to increase the share of certified and traceable leather in our products. In the autumn 2023, we piloted a new way of working in leather material traceability and introduced the Imprint leather bag series, where each hide can be traced back to a farm.
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