name:
Weekday
founded:
2002
origin:
Sweden
Street fashion brand Weekday is working to become fully circular. More than a third of its jeans collection already meets The Jeans Redesign guidelines, while their AW23 collection is due to reach 60%.
What they do
Weekday - part of the H&M Group - is a street fashion brand for and by the creative generation.
In 2023, the company produced 40% of its jeans portfolio according to The Jeans Redesign guidelines, making advancements in durabilitydurabilityThe ability of a product, component or material to remain functional and relevant when used as intended. requirements and circular design.
To meet The Jeans Redesign guidelines Weekday increased testing to secure 30 home laundries, and described a deepening of knowledge about fabric strength and washes, as well as how to improve durability and colour fastness. In doing so, Weekday designed and made jeans that are made to be used more.
The company is now beginning to apply the principles to redesign its other denim garments, such as shirts and skirts. In line with making jeans from safe and recycled or renewable inputs, since 2022, Weekday Jeans implemented an internal requirement to use a minimum of 20% recycled content per product, across 100% of their total denim garment output.
“The Jeans Redesign project guided us in the next important step, to prepare our jeans for a circular life. It started as a small capsule in 2021”
described Sustainability Lead, Ulrika Jakobsson. The brand is working to implement circular design thinking and approaches through its value chain, from the design stage, to product care, and end-of-use.
Ulrika Jakobsson continues, “we see the work towards circular denims as a continuous process and are constantly searching for better alternatives to improve.”
Why it’s an example of the circular economy
To achieve a circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. we have to change the way we look at product development. Waste needs to be designed out at the drawing board stage, and products designed to be durable (that they can be used more), deconstructable (so that the materials they contain can be reused in other garments), and made from safe, and recycled or renewable inputs.
By taking circularity upstream to the design stage, in jeans and across its portfolio, and by working to implement a minimum of recycled content input, Weekday can minimise waste and keep materials in circulation at their highest value.
What’s more, the fact that more than 40% of its 2023 collection is now produced in line with circular principles shows that it is possible to scale the design and production of jeans that are durable, recyclable, made using materials and processes. The progress made by Weekday to embed circular design in its collection demonstrates that circular design can become the norm.
