Spotlight: Waste Yarn Project
There’s the proverbial saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and as brands continue to tackle and infuse the eco-conscious conversation into their designs, Siri Johansen, ex-head of knitwear at Kenzo (and with previous stints at Burberry under Christopher Bailey and Pringle of Scotland) has launched a unisex knitwear brand called the Waste Yarn Project. The collection fits the name since the creative process involves the reuse of surplus yarn derived from classic wools to more upscale blends from the fashion industry. “I’ve always had an interest in making things out of scraps and leftovers. I love the random effect you get,” she said. The brand came to be from Johansen’s urge to create artisanal and one-of-a-kind pieces after her dismay over the growing mountain of surplus materials she encountered on her factory visits.
Opting to not stick to the traditional seasons that most brands sell to, the yarns are organized into what Johansen refers to as a “system of chance” in which the knitter spins a “wheel of fortune” to create unique color combinations for each piece, with no single piece made with the same yarn as the next, creating a personal bond with each wearer and a system that will keep providing new designs indefinitely.
Each piece will carry a price point of 450 euros for the knitwear and 99 euros for knit hats. The collection is available at wasteyarnproject.com.
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