Mono Vest BY KERSTIN - DESIGNED FOR CIRCULARITY
MONO VEST - A NEW, RADICAL SOLUTION. CIRCULAR AND LOCAL.
The Mono Vest BY KERSTIN is a vest designed radically according to the principles of the circular economy. In contrast to conventional textiles, which always consist of a practically inseparable mix of materials, the Mono Vest is made from only one material family.
To enable recycling, all components consist of a mono-material, more precisely Polyamide 6. This includes all components such as fabric, filling, sewing thread, and zipper. Only the logo and the slider must be removed before recycling.
An important milestone on the path to a circular economy.
SPONSORED PROJECT
The launch of the Mono Vest makes us particularly proud, as the concept was funded the previous year in the first selection of the NTN Innovation Booster "Applied Circular Sustainability," an initiative of Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency. After a long and intensive development phase, it is finally ready for launch with an initial series.
The funding was managed by the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. Click here for our final presentation in Winterthur.
DEVELOPED FOR CIRCULARITY
With the Mono Vest, we are taking a big step toward sustainable textile production. The Mono Vest is developed so that it never needs to be disassembled, but can be recycled directly as a whole. Obtained from 100% Nylon 6 from fair production and procured within a local European production cycle. A new approach designed for circularity in a technical cycle. In addition, we offer 5 years of free repairs so that you can wear it for as long as possible. The Mono Vest minimizes the depletion of limited resources and creates a cycle that allows the raw material to be passed on to the next generations without any loss of quality.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT 2019 TO AUGUST 2023: PRACTICAL LOOP CLOSING
Developing a fully closed loop in a technical cycle in the fashion industry, which can also practically recycle the raw material while maintaining the same quality, is virtually non-existent and poses many challenges. Mixed fabrics, color qualities, or finishes make recyclability impossible for pretty much most textiles. Economically viable solutions are still in their infancy.
Transparency is the foundation of our work. Because only with transparency can consumers make the right purchasing decisions and promote sustainable consumer behavior. Therefore, we want to highlight the challenges that arise on the way to a circular product.
As of October 3, 2022, we have already been able to confirm the practical recyclability of three out of four components in the lab. The final component, the fabric, is equipped with an impregnation that makes the material water-resistant but complicates recyclability. We still need to optimize this feature for the second series. The corresponding lab tests are currently being conducted.
The final result is a vest that is not only theoretically recyclable but can be returned to the cycle in the simplest way possible. We will keep you updated.
PROJECT UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2023: SUCCESSFUL LOOP CLOSING
Together with our recycling partner Aquafil, the manufacturer of regenerated ECONYL® nylon, we are closing the loop for a complete production cycle from textile to textile in practice. By integrating into the ECONYL® Regeneration System, which is powered exclusively by renewable energy, our Mono Vest 'Wood' is fully returned in the form of granules, without any loss of quality or downcycling. Converted into new ECONYL® yarn, it forms the basis for future Mono Vests.
We are proud to be pioneers of the Polyamide 6 circular economy with this innovation and present to you, with the latest edition in the color 'Wood', a fully closed, scalable textile cycle. In the first edition, we were able to confirm the recyclability of three of the four components. The water-repellent coating of the fabric presented us with one final hurdle, which has now been successfully overcome with the second production, launched in the fall of 2023. Thus, we present to you today the completed implementation of our vision: A world in which materials can circulate in a closed loop, with complete design freedom for the next generation.
LOCAL SOURCING AND PRODUCTION
We place value not only on ecological and circular design; the Mono Vest also impresses in terms of ethics and social sustainability throughout the entire value chain. A normal textile travels an average of 26,000 km around the globe in extremely diffuse value chains. Our Mono Vest is manufactured fairly in Germany according to German standards in Kerstin's family business in Thuringia, and all procurement takes place exclusively in the heart of Europe. The final product is then shipped to the customer in environmentally friendly packaging by a Swiss foundation.
A large portion of the materials is even Cradle to Cradle certified (raw yarn, sewing thread, and insulation). Due to financial reasons, we cannot currently manage a complete certification of the entire value chain, but we are proud to be able to work with these safe materials.
The inner and outer fabric consists of ECONYL® Polyamide 6. The durable material is woven in Como (Italy). The vest is equipped with a high-performance Nylon 6 insulation, which is manufactured in Novedrate in northern Italy. The sewing thread made of recycled Polyamide 6 is manufactured in Augsburg, Germany. The zipper, made of pure Nylon 6, is produced near Turin in Italy (slider: China), and the logo is from Portugal. Assembly takes place in Tanna, Germany.
Discover the Mono Vest BY KERSTIN
Campaign Photography: Claude Gasser
Still-Life Photography: Tobias Siebrecht
3D Animation: David To Lai
Female Model: Aurélie
Male Model: Adam
H&M: FK
Styling: Nathalie Eggenschwiler
Clothing: KariKari
Patternmaking: Omar Churqui Luna & Pablo Reiniger
Sustainability Advisor: Christina Nakhle
FOR MANY YEARS.
Since 2018, by using ECONYL® regenerated nylon instead of virgin nylon, we have saved 20,075 kg of CO₂.
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