Globe Hope makes yoga products from end-of-life textile and recycled fibre
Globe Hope, a pioneer in end-of-life textile use, turns raw materials provided by Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto (LSJH) into yoga products, such as mats and bolsters. According to Globe Hope’s founder, Seija Lukkala, recycled fibre refined from household end-of-life textile is an excellent raw material that will be increasingly used in the future. Consumers will expect companies to be more transparent about recycled products’ environmental impacts.
Globe Hope is a real pioneer in end-of-life textile use. The company has designed recycled products made from textile waste and surplus materials since 2003. The company’s products include various design products for consumers, business gifts for corporate customers, and other products ranging from water treatment to oil spill response equipment. Since the beginning, the key values of ethics, ecology, and aesthetics have been at the core of Globe Hope’s product development.
In Globe Hope’s hands, LSJH’s end-of-life textiles and recycled fibre are transformed into yoga products, such as yoga mats and bolsters. The products are made primarily for the consumer market. The company’s increase in production volumes led the company to search for new complementary options for durable raw materials.
“We received the first recycled fibres produced at the LSJH’s pilot processing lines in Paimio to be used for new products and to support the increase in our production volume. It turned out that the recycled fibre processed from end-of-life textile is an excellent raw material for our yoga products”, says Globe Hope’s founder and CEO, Seija Lukkala.
Cooperation between Globe Hope and LSJH began through the Telaketju network’s joint projects and events. Since then, the two companies have collaborated on products such as tote bags made from bunting fabric collected at public events.
End-of-life textile recycling and circular economy have developed rapidly during recent years
Globe Hope has noticed that end-of-life textile recycling and circular economy have made immense progress in a relatively short period.
“In the past couple of years, more development has taken place than during the past couple of decades in total. People want to consume more responsibly and are more interested in the carbon and water footprints of the products they use. In the future, it will be increasingly important to communicate openly and verify products’ environmental impacts transparently”, Lukkala states.
The industry’s development and changes in consumer behaviour have inspired Globe Hope to expand their selection. For example, the company makes business gifts from their client companies’ own end-of-life textiles. At Globe Hope, recycling is a comprehensive process based on the Zero Waste concept.
“You must see the big picture of end-of-life textile use. We accept all textiles from our client companies and use them as raw material for new products as resource-efficiently as possible. We analyse each textile batch carefully, and thanks to our vast cooperation network, we are able use the materials as efficiently as possible”, Lukkala continues.
Circular economy needs cooperation and networks to function
From the company’s perspective, textile circular economy requires cooperation, seamless supply chains, and supportive legislation. According to Lukkala, cooperation with LSJH has been successful. The aim is to continue developing new products with recycled fibre.
“Companies’ will to use recycled materials, advances circular economy. The uses for recycled fibre and
end-of-life textile materials will surely increase in the future. New innovations and business opportunities will be found. At Globe Hope, we have been building our business for a long time, but we are still developing every day”, Lukkala says.