Savonia Article: Sheldy – Upcycling Concept Uses High-Performance Gear and Textile Leftovers

15.05.2025 Articles Master School

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

In the early stages of my studies in the fall of 2023, I had the opportunity to participate in the Savonia Old to Gold Masterclass. During this course, we explored the future of textile circularity and developed new products from textile waste streams under the guidance of German fashion designer Nora Kühner. Nora has a background in sports fashion, is an avid nature lover, and boldly highlights the responsibility of the fashion industry. While sports brands showcase their collections in beautiful, often untouched natural landscapes, their production methods negatively impact our planet. The sports and textile industries should be pioneers in responsible and sustainable economies.

I knew I was stepping out of my comfort zone, as I hadn’t used a sewing machine in years. As a designer and project director, my work usually involves city planning and urban design, which is entirely different from fashion design. I had to shift from large-scale planning to diligent, millimeter-precise work. Nevertheless, I was thrilled because creative processes, brainstorming new concepts, and bold, future-oriented experiments, along with circular economy and sustainable development, are things that truly excite me!

The Masterclass week was very intense and productive, and I absolutely loved getting hands-on! My masterclass partner and I complemented each other well, even though neither of us had a background in clothing and fashion design. We progressed from developing the concept, researching the target group, designing the look, discovering various textile materials, and considering the appearance, functionality, and usage situations. Since we intended to craft the garment according to our concept ourselves, we also had to learn sewing techniques within that one week! The work included many ups and downs and countless pin pricks. Working as part of a group of fashion design students was fantastic, and there was always help available for technical challenges. The intensive week also served as a great language immersion, and my specialized English vocabulary expanded significantly.

From the beginning, our team was clear about the concept. We wanted to create something meaningful for the future, as Finland’s population ages and climate change brings new challenges with changing weather. The goal was to create a garment that provides safety and protection and attracts attention when needed.

While one of us struggled with difficult seams at the sewing station, the other designed the logo, website, and marketing materials. The result was Sheldy, a cloak-like garment designed for the elderly and vulnerable individuals, providing protection from rain, heat, wind, or even sandstorms. As climate change intensifies weather extremes, clothing should also be prepared and adapted to such circumstances. Often, multifunctional or high-tech gear is not accessible to everyone due to high costs. Therefore, Sheldy is intended to be implemented as a clothing-as-a-service concept, where garments are always in good condition and ready for use, maintained and delivered, for example, to the wardrobe of a senior home.

Participating in the course was a truly wonderful experience, and it was amazing to see the achievements of other teams and admire the fantastic creations that were made. The story didn’t end there, as the works traveled to the ISPO fair in Munich. The garment, which started from a small idea, became part of one of the largest exhibitions in the field, and some of the students who participated in the intensive week went to the fair to present our work.

Later, in the spring of 2024, the Sauma – Fashion in Art, Art in Fashion exhibition was held at the Kuopio Art Museum. Our work was invited to the exhibition too. In the exhibition, the physical and digital clothes, patterns, and jewelry of Savonia design students were in dialogue with the museum’s collections. Our “Granny Cloak” was paired with a magnificent work of art.

The project Sheldy has inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace new challenges! We created a real, wearable, and cool-looking garment from scratch, with a purpose and a story. It has brought us a lot of joy and surprises. Old to Gold was a fantastic experience, and special thanks go to my partner Outi, teacher Laura, and our guest star Nora for making it so comprehensive.

Perhaps Sheldy’s adventures will continue somewhere later!