Driven by its love for nature, circular sportswear brand Houdini has been revolutionizing the outdoor and textile industry since 1993, creating real alternatives to linear apparel with innovative designs. With a focus on doing more with less, to create designs that are timeless, functional, and minimalist, Houdini uses recycled or natural materials that have evolved over millions of years and transforms them into components for circular, sustainable sportswear.
A love affair between nature and technology
Four billion years of natural innovation built the foundation for this collection. In combination with modern, human technology, natural components were further enhanced in their performance. Revolutionary thinking, cutting-edge technologies like these and new habits are indispensable to change the world for the better. These principles manifest themselves in the new collection. It starts where the inventiveness of nature itself ends.
“The idea is to evolve natural fibers like Merino wool or TENCEL™ Lyocell with the help of cutting-edge technology,” stated Jesper Danielsson, Houdini Sportswear, Head of Design & Product. “Natural resources, borrowed from nature and transformed into highly functional fabrics using the latest technology. The New Naturals – revolutionary, new and yet purely natural.”
Materials used for the collection are returned to nature. From the base layer to the mid layer and the shell layer, except for a few components, the products are biodegradable and thus, decomposed into their original components, provide a basis for new life and resources. With The New Naturals, Houdini creates a unique alternative to linear sportswear and a circular collection that is as smart and effective as nature itself. The ultimate symbiosis of the latest human technology and naturally occurring designs.
The collection – an innovative partnership with The Woolmark Company, TENCEL™ and Südwolle Group
From nature comes the world’s most technically advanced and original performance fiber. Offering superb breathability, moisture-wicking and thermoregulating properties, Merino wool is also resistant to odor, making it the natural choice for Houdini’s latest offering.
“The Woolmark Company and Houdini have long shared similar values regarding the creation of quality, technical products with minimal impact,” explains The Woolmark Company Managing Director John Roberts. “As a 100% natural, renewable and biodegradable fiber, Merino wool’s inherent circular attributes align with Houdini’s ethos and provides the ultimate ingredient for The New Naturals collection.”
With longtime close cooperation between established names of the textile industry, a carefully designed collection of indispensable basics was created. All partners have high sustainability standards, which they have proven in years of collaboration with Houdini.
Natural fibers such as Merino wool and TENCEL™ Lyocell have been enhanced and developed in partnership with The Woolmark Company, the global leader in Merino wool, and TENCEL™, the Lenzing Group’s flagship brand. With over five decades of experience in the textile industry, leading spinner Südwolle Group is a key player in the production of the New Naturals collection. With an extensive network of suppliers, manufacturers, designers and brands, Südwolle Group is a strong partner throughout the textile supply chain.
“Cross-industry collaboration is fundamental to not only share the journey towards more sustainable, circular practices and products, but also to achieve industry transformation. This is what makes Houdini’s latest offering so exciting.” (The Woolmark Company Managing Director John Roberts).
In The New Naturals, Houdini offers a collection for adventures of all kinds. The natural fabrics offer maximum comfort and natural performance for protection from the elements. The collection consists of three styles, from a warming base layer, to cozy midlayers and protective and breathable shells.
The Baselayer: Desoli
100% Merino wool base-layers perfect for hiking, skiing, climbing, and bicycle commuting. The original performance fiber, Merino wool is odor resistant and offers suburb moisture-wicking and thermoregulation benefits. The Desoli garments use renewable fibers that are both biodegradable and recyclable, making it a completely circular product range. MSRP Range: $55 – $250
The Midlayer: Alto
An exceptional blend of Merino wool and TENCEL ™ branded lyocell fibres provides a soft, breathable feel without compromising thermal performance. TENCEL ™ is the Lenzing Group’s flagship brand covering the range of specialty fibers for textiles, enhancing Merino wool’s inherent technical benefits. Due to their wood-based origin, the lyocell fibers are biodegradable and especially gentle on the skin. MSRP Range: $180 – $250
The Shell Layer: Lana
The newly developed shell layer made of 100% Merino wool protects against wind and cold, while still being breathable. Innovative fiber stretching technology creates a wind and water-resistant fabric, without the need for chemicals that are harmful to nature. The crafted silhouettes also allow for a noiseless fit without sacrificing functionality. MSRP Range: $500 – $650
About The Woolmark Company
The Woolmark Company is the global authority on wool. Through their extensive network of relationships spanning the international textile and fashion industries, they highlight Australian wool’s position as the world’s premium, sustainable fiber that is optimal for circular, traceable products.
The Woolmark logo is one of the world’s most recognized and respected brands, providing assurance of the highest quality, and representing pioneering excellence and innovation from farm through to finished product.
The Woolmark Company is a subsidiary of Australian Wool Innovation, a non-profit enterprise that conducts research, development and marketing along the worldwide supply chain for Australian wool on behalf of about 60,000 woolgrowers that help fund the company.
About TENCEL™
TENCEL™ is the flagship brand under The Lenzing Group that covers textile specialty product fiber offerings. Since 1992, the TENCEL™ brand has been driving the evolution of fiber solutions for the apparel and home textile segments through several industry-first innovations and environmentally responsible production processes.
Featuring botanic origin and biodegradable quality, TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibers are gentle on skin with a smooth touch. TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers are versatile and can be combined with a wide range of textile fibers to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of fabrics. Through their inherent properties, such as moisture management, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers can absorb moisture efficiently, they contribute to a pleasant wearing comfort and are excellent in wool blends.
About Südwolle Group
Südwolle Group produces high quality worsted Merino yarns and Merino blends for flat and circular knitting, as well as weaving and technical scopes of application. Certificates such as ZQ Merino, OEKO-TEX®, the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), GOTS, IVN Best and bluesign® are fulfilled if so desired. That is how Südwolle Group is reducing the trend towards fast fashion and disposable products.
About Houdini Sportswear
Houdini is an odd band of friends from Sweden on a quest to reimagine the future of circular sportswear. Ever since the start in 1993 Houdini has challenged the norms of the outdoor industry, as a company led by women, as innovators of sustainable design and as pioneers of circular business models. Ultimately Houdini wants to enable and inspire people to reconnect to nature.
