REALIST is a new initiative that turns Turkey’s industrial waste into qualitative knitwear

REALIST is a new initiative by KnitwearLab that turns Turkey’s industrial waste into qualitative knitwear

The fast growing textile industry in the urban areas of Turkey fuels a tremendous growth of textile waste. Before, this would have been burned, but REALIST brings new life to the discarded.

Knitwear Lab, an Amsterdam based international design and knowledge centre for industrial knits, joined forces with their Turkish partners to take on their responsibility for a cleaner knitting industry with better social circumstances.

On the 2nd of December REALIST was presented to an international crowd from different parts of the fashion industry in the Dutch consulate in Istanbul. In collaboration with fashion house Maison the Faux, the Creative Industries Fund NL, the Dutch Consulate and the Marmara University an interactive and inspiring presentation was set up.

Knitwearlab developed a small collection made with at least 40% recycled post-industrial textile waste. This way, they wish to show other brands, factories and big players in the industry that integrating recycled material into knitted products can result in high quality products and at the same time contribute to the reduction of industrial waste.

A chain of key partners was set up to cover the process from waste textile, to recycled material which is processed into yarn. Knitwear Lab follows up the chain, leading the design, development and manufacturing of the knitted products for commercial end use.

REALIST aims to create a different mindset with their partners by using the innovative power of technological Dutch Design and Turkish textile knowhow directing the industry towards more sustainable and social-responsible options.