Suzanne Tick

Luum believes in creating textiles that not only look great, but also prioritize sustainability for the benefit of both people and the environment. That's why, from start to finish, Luum's designs are pushing the boundaries with new, innovative materials like Melange Check, Wool Fleck and Graph Speck which use 100% pre- and post-consumer recycled wool, acrylic and polyester from garment waste as well as Ecotone and Grid State which use 100% recycled, biodegradable polyester technology.

Below is a conversation with Luum's Creative Director, Suzanne Tick, about our responsibility to the Earth and the importance of reducing textile waste.

What was your inspiration behind the textiles made from garment waste?
The 2022 collections Shared Ground and Structural Dimension were opportunities for us to launch Melange Check, Wool Fleck and Graph Speck which are inspired by our shared roots, responsibility to the Earth, and how these principles can be translated into the spaces we create. We looked back at the foundation of textile making and discovered plaids and plainweaves across many cultures and time periods. We are all truly connected by a common thread. This is how we respond to the textile waste crisis. These three coordinating textiles were prototyped on our loom at Tick Studio and woven at a women run mill with a long history of fiber recycling traditions. We are proud to address the physical impact of humans’ overconsumption through the re-use of garment waste as fiber. 

100% recycled garment waste used in Melange Check, Wool Fleck and Graph Speck textiles

These are big issues, how have you tackled them in the broader Luum collection?
Well, as a foundational step, we continue to implement sustainable practices in our product development process, including using renewable fibers and recycled or biodegradable synthetics wherever possible, as well as adhering to a range of sustainable certifications such as Red List Free, REACH Regulation Compliant, metal free and fluorine free stain repellents. In 2021, we launched Ecotone and Grid State – the first and second 100% recycled, biodegradable polyester textiles in the contract textiles marketplace. This, for me, represents an important next step in a very necessary journey for the textile industry, which is to reduce our impact on landfill.

100% recycled, biodegradable polyester technology used in Ecotone multipurpose and Grid State multipurpose textiles

What was your design intention behind the biodegradable polyester textiles?
It took us three years to develop Ecotone and Grid State because, not only did we have to work through the usual technical and design steps of new product development, but we also had to test its biodegradability. And so, we waited to ensure that the materials did what they were designed to do, which is biodegrade back into the earth in approximately 1,278 days in a landfill setting. Both Grid State and Ecotone can be used vertically for things like walls and panels as well as an upholstery which give us more usage per square foot thereby maximizing positive impact. And of course, there’s the materiality of the textiles themselves. Ecotone, for example – even though it’s made from 100% recycled polyester, it actually looks and feels like wool and comes in a gorgeous color palette with a lovely matte finish. In 2023, were excited to expand out biodegradable platform further.