Swedish Stockings?
More than two billion pairs of tights are produced each year. Two billion! These are often cheap stockings, made of inferior nylon. They are worn once – sometimes twice, if you were careful with them – but then they end up in a garbage dump.
That had to be improved, according to Linn Frisinger and Nadja Forsberg. They founded Swedish Stockings with a purpose: to take the lead in the development and production of environmentally friendly, sustainable tights. In other words, they want to make durable stockings. With the hope that the rest of the fashion industry will follow their example. So we can all look beautiful, but without anything or anyone else suffering.
Eco-brand?
Yessss! Swedish Stockings produces tights and stockings from recycled nylon and elastane. The cotton used for their socks is organic and certified. Other fabrics are NILIT® ECOCARE and Q‑Nova®. Umm, wait, which materials? NILIT® is made from recycled waste yarn and Q‑Nova® are unused nylon remnants, originating from Italy.
The designers at Swedish Stockings also devote a lot of their time to the innovation of new materials and products. They recently launched the Keep it 100-line, which is made from 100% recycled elastane and nylon.
Electricity for the recycling plants and Swedish Stockings HQ is generated from solar panels and the brand limits the use of water and chemicals in its production. Both NILIT-yarn and Swedish Stockings’ colouring processes are REACH-certified.
A great place to work?
The tights and socks are made in Italy. This enables Swedish Stockings to closely monitor the production process. The brand wants to make sure that the working conditions in the factory are tip-top. Swedish Stockings has regular inspections carried out and pays suppliers the minimum wages. Serious claims, right? That’s why we understand why Swedish Stockings does not reveal the names and addresses of their factories! Another brand could secretly take advantage of it.
How circular is Swedish Stockings?
Completely circular. This is why: Swedish Stockings asks for used – cheap and broken – nylon stockings to be sent to one of their two recycling centres. You have to pay the shipping costs. We advise you to take your old tights and socks to a Swedish Stockings point of sale near you. They will then be able to take it to a recycling centre.
In het kort
The mission of Swedish Stockings is clear: to change the hosiery industry. And by extension, the entire fashion industry. How? By combining the luxury of the past with innovative techniques.
