Terrex x Spinnova hoodie now live
Sports brand adidas has launched the first commercial-ready garment to come of its partnership with Finnish renewable fibre producer Spinnova, the adidas Terrex HS1 hoodie.
Initially announced back in February, the undyed hiking mid-layer contains a minimum of 30% Spinnova fibres, blended with organic cotton. Design director at adidas Outdoor, Anne Nebendahl, told sportstextiles that the final blend felt the “most comfy” and the results proved to be “the softest material we could make”.
Constructed in line with the brand’s gender-neutral Unitefit dimensions, which give special consideration to a wide range of proportions including arm reach, for example, the final outcome is therefore “more inclusive”, Ms Nebendahl explained. A multi-functional item, it can be rolled up into its pre-shaped hood to create a pillow, as well as for easier storage when exploring.
Spinnova’s technique enables it to manufacture textile fibres out of natural microfibrils from raw materials including paper-grade wood pulp, as well as textile, food and leather waste. Its first industrial-scale factory, a joint venture with Brazilian pulp producer Suzano which will go by the name of Woodspin, is scheduled for completion by the end of this year, following additional investment announced this past June.
Vice-president of global marketing for adidas Outdoor, Marwin Hoffman, told sportstextiles that the brand considered Spinnova to be a collaborator that “is able to run fast with us”, pointing to how the partners only started with five to six prototype garments in February. As of July, they have around 1,500 hoodies ready for sale.
He described adidas Terrex as in this way spearheading adidas’ wider strategic sustainability plans to a degree, although acknowledged that adapting to new processes had been “very difficult”.
Co-founder and chief executive at Spinnova, Janne Poranen, echoed Mr Hoffman’s sentiments, telling us that he considered the results of what the two companies had managed to achieve in such a short amount of time – and only using its pilot facilities – “amazing”.
Long-term, committed partnerships are key to Spinnova’s growth and ability to have a real impact and the adidas team “are the best partners for that”, he said. Ms Nebendahl similarly shared that bringing the HS1 to market represents only the beginning of adidas Terrex and Spinnova’s commercial journey together.
Available for purchase in Europe from July 15, HS1 hoodies will be offered globally from September 1.
Learn more about the tie-up between adidas Terrex and Spinnova in our feature here.
The adidas Terrex HS1 hoodie. Credit: adidas.
