Aalto University turns 17th-century shipwreck into zero-waste dress

Researchers at Aalto University have transformed 300-year-old wood from the Hahtiperä shipwreck, discovered in 2019 under a parking lot in Oulu, Finland, into a zero-waste dress. The project involved a multidisciplinary team including textile designer Anna-Mari Leppisaari, scientist Inga Schlapp-Hackl, and maritime archaeologist Minna Koivikko, led by advisor Pirjo Kääriäinen. The wood was processed into pulp using Ioncell technology, developed at Aalto in 2013, which uses an ionic liquid to spin cellulose into strong, silky yarn. Knitwear designer Leppisaari used an industrial knitting machine to create two identical seamless sleeveless maxi dresses, left undyed and unbleached. The dresses feature AI-generated patterns by researcher Severi Uusitalo, inspired by wood grain and digital noise. They will be displayed at the Tomorrow's Wardrobe exhibition opening at the Oulu Art Museum.