Katla teams up with Shelly Xu, launches zero-waste hoodie

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Nov 29, 2021

Sustainable, made-to-order womenswear brand Katla has teamed up with designer Shelly Xu and her namesake start-up Shelly Xu Design (SXD) to introduce a new collaboration rooted in zero-waste design. 

Dubbed 'Katla x SXD', the partnership reimagines one of the most popular staples, the hoodie, with the aim to make it as sustainable as possible and with the overarching goal to promote zero-waste design in the fashion industry.  

Combining Katla's zero-waste manufacturing process and SXD's zero-waste design process, the hoodie saves 25 percent of the raw fabric material for less material consumption and less material cost. Available in black and white, the hoodie is made from Katla’s existing 100 percent organic cotton, GOTS-certified fleece.

The genderfluid design is made to be versatile across sizes and features a spacious, clean silhouette. The final touch is a barcode label stitched on the back of the hoodie, which can be scanned to access the unique zero-waste pattern and to get sewing instructions for creators to make their own. The pattern is also available for download at katla.com. 

“Hundreds of millions of hoodies are produced in our industry. Imagine if all hoodies can be made this way. We also wanted as many people as possible to be a part of this movement,” Katla explained in a website statement. “We are making the design open source in the back of the hoodie so any curious creator can make their own zero fabric waste version.”

Likewise, each hoodie also includes a unique tracking number on an inside label — another conscious feature found across Katla’s collections —  where customers can enter the tracking number on their website to learn about the origins and history of the item.

Launched by the co-founder and former CEO of Moda Operandi, Aslaug Magnúsdóttir, Katla was created in 2020 with the goal to develop a blueprint for a new and different way of creating fashion that minimizes our impact on the environment. 

The new Katla x SXD hoodie is now available at katla.com in two sizes, and retails for $220.