At the beginning of FreyZein was a bold research question: Can we innovate the outdoor wear market with a truly sustainable performance outdoor jacket that is 100% free of harmful petrochemicals?
In the spirit of circular product design, Freyzein has produced prototypes of plastic-free outdoor jackets. Special attention was paid to the materials in the design. A tightly woven organic cotton fabric was used as the base material. The circular Refibra technology produced by Austrian multi-talented natural fibre producer Lenzing was used for the lining. A biodegradable plastic was used for the zips. The cords are made of natural rubber coated with organic cotton.
The project marked Freyzein’s first successful attempt to act along the whole value chain of authentic sustainable outdoor wear: From the design of the jacket, to sourcing petrochemical free fabrics, finding production partners to the distribution of the finished product we ran through all steps of the supply and value chain.
The project was co-funded and supported by the AWS, Austria’s promotional bank of the federal government, Federal Ministry of Environment, Innovation & Technology
Bottom Line:
The basic material we used which was developed in 1930 by scientists at the Shirley Institute in Manchester did not fullfil our high requirements and the requirements of the market.
For this reason, we started to develop our own fabrics.
Impressions from our early days...
