Always focusing on the next generation, Reima’s design thinking goes even beyond the life of the products. The new Reimatec Voyager jacket not only fulfils the high-quality standards of Reima, it is a pioneer project in circular economy, too.
Reima was founded in 1944 and leads the market as a kids-only producer of active wear for all climates. Aimed at kids aged 0 to 12, Reima’s mission is to enable kids’ joy of movement and ease the everyday lives of families by offering sustainable clothing solutions. To this end, Reima develops apparel and footwear that are designed to endure time, to be easy to care for and even hand over to the next user.
100% recyclable
The Reimatec jacket Voyager is Reima’s first ever high-performance product made of one single material. Apart from the metal zipper lock and snaps, which can be recycled as metal, everything in the product is polyester. This means the jacket can be easily and completely regenerated into polymers for new products. Reima will close the loop between production, active use and upcycling, as long as the jacket is handed down to Reima for recycling at the end of its life.
The story of many lifetimes
Durable garments are a great tool for fighting the climate crisis: Another child reusing the Voyager jacket will save as much CO2 as it would take to produce a new garment. The high quality and classic design of the Voyager jacket ensure it has enough value to be resold and reused by several children. To enable successful takeback at the end of the product’s life, each jacket has a unique ID. Simply by using this ID, consumers can register and track the journey of the jacket. After the first jackets have been handed down to their next users, visitors can see the journey of each jacket starting to be plotted out on the registration web site. Following the journey of the jacket after registering is made available for consumers in Europe, the US and Russia. |
“This is an entirely new way to register a product”
- According to our knowledge, a similar effort has not yet been seen in the garment industry. There are registration programs for expensive watches or sunglasses, and guarantees given to the first owner of a garment, but the guarantees and benefits consumers get by registering are not transferred to the next owner. Our way of thinking is different. We want to make an ecosystem with true circular approach and provide the opportunity for our customers to act responsibly. We know that polyester recycling is possible and by creating a proper ecosystem, we are heading to add even more value through upcycling”, says Reima’s R&D and Sustainability Director Mr. Shahriare Mahmood.
Top technology for sustainability
Although the Voyager jacket is mono-material, Reima has not compromised its functional features. The smooth, flexible 3-layer shell fabric boasts a water pillar of 12 000 mm and very good breathability (8 000 g/m2/24 h), and even the seams are taped to be waterproof – all this without using other synthetic fibres than polyester. On the fabric surface, there is a fluorocarbon-free polymer finishing treatment that repels water and dirt. It enables washing at lower temperatures with less detergent, and quicker drying, all of which contribute to saving energy, water and chemicals during the hopefully very long life of the jacket.
When the jacket is finally too worn out, its recycling is a sophisticated technical process too: it will be melted down and regenerated to new polymers. The takeback happens through Reima stores, and the recycling will be organized via partnership with Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto Oy (Waste management company of South-Western Finland), who also participate in the Telaketju project. |
Donating to save #OurSea
As the idea of registering a garment is new to most of us, Reima wants to promote this possibility and the circular thinking that comes with it by offering a special deal: For each Voyager jacket registered, Reima donates 10 euros to save the Baltic Sea. For 10 euros we can remove 40 kilograms of toxic blue-green algae from this unique and vulnerable sea, helping marine life thrive and letting kids living around the Baltic swim in cleaner water. The money will be donated to the John Nurminen Foundation through the #OurSea campaign organized by Moomin Characters Ltd.
Voyager jacket is available in sizes 104 – 164 cm and three colours; white, rose and navy.