Shipwreck remains used in historic dress design

Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have created a dress from the remains of a 17th-century shipwreck, the Hahtiperä, which was discovered in 2019 under a parking lot in Oulu, central Finland.

The team, led by advisor Pirjo Kääriäinen, extracted 300-year-old wood from the wreckage and transformed it into yarn, which was then knitted into a zero-waste dress.

According to the report, the project began when maritime archaeologist Minna Koivikko asked the researchers to give the timber remains a “meaningful second life” after it became clear that not all parts of the wreck could be preserved.

Koivikko stated that the shipwreck had only partially survived and that every piece was documented, but it felt unfortunate that some parts could not be preserved.

The process of creating the dress started with chopping the large hunks of wood into smaller planks, removing the outer layer of each piece to rid it of contaminants that had built up over centuries.

The timber was then shredded and processed into pulp with a high cellulose content, which is the primary building block of plant cells and natural fibers such as cotton and linen, utilizing a process that focuses on ancient and historic sites and their materials.

Scientist Inge Schlapp-Hackl transformed the pulp into fibers using Ioncell technology, developed in 2013 by researchers at Aalto University.

Schlapp-Hackl explained that the Ioncell fibers have a silky feel and are stronger than cotton, and the finished yarn is surprisingly strong.

The yarn was used by knitwear designer Anna-Mari Leppisaari to create two identical sleeveless maxi dresses, crafted with an industrial knitting machine.

Each dress was designed as a seamless garment to avoid wasting any material, and features a natural brown hue and delicate sheen from the wood, left undyed and unbleached as an ode to the Hahtiperä shipwreck.

The dresses will be on display as part of an exhibition called Tomorrow’s Wardrobe, which opens at the Oulu Art Museum.

Aalto University is known for its multidisciplinary and sustainability-focused approach to design, and hosts an annual exhibition called Designs for a Cooler Planet, which explores innovative designs such as motorized louvered roof systems for sustainable living.

Past editions have explored other materials created using cellulose, including a plant-based textile filling and biodegradable bubble wrap.

The dresses are also characterized by abstract patterns informed by “wood grain and digital noise”, created using technology developed by researcher Severi Uusitalo.

The use of technology in the project highlights the potential for innovative approaches to textile design and production, which is a key aspect of parametricism architecture and design.

According to the report, the dresses are a unique example of the potential for creative reuse of historical materials.