New Order of Fashion

As a trailblazer in the industry when it comes to sustainable innovation, Dimension-Polyant recently embarked on a journey with New Order of Fashion to research and develop solutions for a valuable and durable second life for used sails.

Sails have travelled the world and endured great forces in pursuit of victory and new adventures. The lifespan of offshore sails is, on average, 2.000 hours. In high performance usage, sails may last as little as one race. Considering that over 8 million square meters sailcloth is produced each year and recycling and reuse of materials is estimated to be less than 10%, this results in an abundance of discarded sails. These end up – at best – on attics of nostalgic and passionate sailors around the globe, but will eventually end up in landfills. They will then take over an estimated 1.000 years to decompose, whilst releasing toxic chemicals harming the environment in the process.

To offer sustainable alternatives, Dimension-Polyant and New Order of Fashion joined forces. The first research phase has been concluded and the results look very promising. With these results and under mentorship of New Order of Fashion’s Artistic Research Manager dr. Pauline van Dongen and designer Stina Randestad, a new generation of the world’s leading design talents will dive in and explore further applications during Dutch Design Week 2021 at the New Order of Fashion LAB.

On Wednesday 20 October, Dimension-Polyant and New Order of Fashion will share the astonishing results of the extensive joint research in an interactive presentation by CEO of Dimension-Polyant, Uwe Stein, and dr. Pauline van Dongen.

Dimension-Polyant is the world’s largest sailcloth producer. Dimension-Polyant has consistently set the standard with their high-quality products, precision workmanship and world-class innovations since 1966. As of 2021, Dimension-Polyant produces climate neutral and is widely known for its continuous conscious efforts, leading the way towards a more sustainable future of the sailmaking industry. Dimension-Polyant is owned by Sioen Industries.

Image credits: Images by Thijs Hupkens, Material Research by Pauline van Dongen