Our goals are to continuously reduce the amount of waste we generate and eventually build a value chain in line with circular economy. We strive to continuously improve the material efficiency of our production to ensure that valuable materials are not thrown away. Decisions made in the design phase affect material consumption. For example, we reduce cutting waste through considering the size and positioning of prints and by designing products of different sizes from the same fabric.
In 2024, we piloted a closed-loop production model for home products, as the raw material for two trays was partly waste materials generated in Marimekko’s production. Products that utilize closed loop have been visible in Marimekko Kioski collections for longer. Since the beginning of 2022, end-of-life textiles from our printing factory and sewing shop in Helsinki have been recycled at Rester’s mechanical recycling plant in Paimio, Finland. Cooperation with Rester supports Marimekko’s goal of a value chain in line with circular economy. Moreover, we piloted a closed-loop pilot project in Portugal, where textile waste generated in the manufacturing of Marimekko’s collections were partly used as raw material for new Marimekko products. In addition, we launched in 2023 a capsule collection called Icons Revived consisting of dresses made from surplus fabrics of previous collections using the iconic silhouettes from the 1960s and 1970s.
All our packaging materials are already recyclable. Cardboard and paper purchased by Marimekko for packaging are either made of recycled materials or materials that have a certificate from the FSC or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). In the future, we intend to reduce the use of plastic and increase the use of recycled materials in packaging.
100 percent of waste collected in our own printing factory and headquarters are recycled as material or utilized in energy production. In 2024, the share of waste recycled as material was 56% and the share of waste recovered as energy was 44%. Marimekko aims to increase the recycling of materials in accordance with the waste hierarchy.