unlocking the value of textile waste

A full day focused on redesign and textile sorting. That was the starting point when participants in the talent programme returned to Wargön Innovation for a hands-on workshop.

It was a day where we really had to challenge both our perspectives and the way we work, says Nana Sacko, project manager for the talent programme within Textile Movement Talent.

By sorting textiles themselves, while also explaining why certain garments were selected and others rejected, it became clear just how much potential exists in materials that are often dismissed as waste.

When you’re actually standing in the sorting process, you realise how much comes down to interpretation. There’s value in materials that we don’t usually recognise or make use of, Nana adds.

Design’s role starts earlier than we think

One of the key insights from the day was the role of design. Designers and emerging talent are no longer just creators further down the value chain. They are part of shaping circular solutions from the outset, solutions that also need to work commercially. When design expertise meets sorting processes, it changes how materials are assessed and valued.

Connecting sorting with demand

During the workshop, participants also worked on developing material briefs, clearly articulating their material needs so that someone else can sort accordingly. This is a crucial step if sorting and demand are to align in practice. There is also a clear link to the project of establishing a textile material broker in the region of Västra Götaland, where work continues to improve the matching of textile supply and demand across the region.

Building knowledge through research

The workshop builds on research led by Anna Lidström, PhD in redesign and Senior Lecturer at the Swedish School of Textiles, where textile sorting is explored as a method within the design process. The focus is on how designers can work with unpredictable material flows, and how design potential can be identified at an early stage.

The Textile Movement Talent programme is run by Lindholmen Science Park in collaboration with Textile Movement, and is funded by Västra Götalandsregionen.

The workshop was delivered in collaboration with Xperience Next, the Swedish School of Textiles, and Wargön Innovation.

Foto: Wargön Innovation