In the heart of Berlin, a revolution brews within the walls of Ucon Acrobatics, a company not content with the status quo. Founded in 2001 by Martin Fussenegger and Jochen Smuda, Ucon Acrobatics has embarked on a journey to transform the textile industry from its linear, wasteful practices to a model of circular economy.
This Fall, the company is set to release a line of bags and backpacks that are not just accessories but symbols of change. These products are crafted from over 95% recycled textile waste, a bold statement against the industry’s norm of disposability and environmental harm. Ucon Acrobatics’ approach is a beacon of hope in a sector responsible for a staggering 10% of global carbon emissions.
The statistics are alarming: every second, the equivalent of a truckload of textiles meets its end in landfills or incinerators. In 2021, a mere 0.6% of textiles were given a new lease on life through recycling. Ucon Acrobatics stands as a defiant answer to this challenge, recycling textile waste into high-quality PET granules and then into yarns, slashing CO2 emissions by 35% compared to traditional synthetic polyester.
Innovation doesn’t stop there. The company has replaced conventional dyeing methods with a resource-efficient process called “dope dye,” cutting water usage by up to 90%, chemical usage by 80%, and halving energy and CO2 emissions. Despite the higher costs, Fussenegger’s commitment to progress is unwavering, driven by the belief that the circular economy is not just a business model but a moral imperative.
The culmination of nearly three years of development is PUrTEX∞, a custom tech material that outperforms conventional vegan leathers in durability and environmental friendliness. As Ucon Acrobatics looks to the future, its goal is clear: complete circularity by 2024, setting a standard for the industry and inspiring others to follow suit.
Aimé Leon Dore has teamed up with New Balance on a SS26 Performance Running Capsule, bringing together the brand’s technical innovation with Aimé Leon Dore’s design perspective.
Take a look at John Lawrence Sullivan’s Spring/Summer 2027 backstage, captured by the lens of Sasha Zhu during Berlin Fashion Week, in an exclusive for Fucking Young!
Following Maison Mihara Yasuhiro’s SS27 show during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, we caught up with Mihara to discuss why his creative process has no true beginning or end and the importance of imperfection.
Saint Laurent Montaigne has opened its first exhibition, 1980 – 2023 – 2025, a selection of works by French artist Martine Bedin, curated by Anthony Vaccarello.
Aesop has introduced the Parsley Seed Purifying Cleanse Protocol, a three-step ritual designed for those living in urban environments and facing the friction of city life.
After making stops in Berlin and Milan, the Eastpak Travel Agency arrives this weekend in Barcelona, transforming the city’s beachfront into an immersive pop-up.
Since founding DAGGER, designer Luke Raine has quickly established the growing brand as one of Berlin’s most exciting independent fashion labels while rooted in resilience.
Paris has never been short of artists capable of blurring the lines between fashion and fine art, but Gustavo Nazareno brings something altogether more hypnotic.
RHUDE’s SS27 collection, Contra Mundum, explores the moment after achievement, when discipline gives way to freedom and freedom becomes a test of character.
GmbH marked ten years with a collection that looks back at what sparked the brand in the first place, and in doing so, unearthed a largely forgotten fashion history.
For Spring/Summer 2027, #DAMUR dropped its new collection, RIDE CHAOS – BREAK THE GRAVITY, into the concrete heart of Skatehalle Berlin during Berlin Fashion Week.
Charlotte Gainsbourg’s first photography exhibition, 5bis, opens at La Galerie du Cloître in Arles as part of the 57th Rencontres d’Arles photography festival.
For Issue 28, TRANSPARENCY, we explore the shifting relationship between what is revealed and what remains concealed, questioning ideas of authenticity, identity, vulnerability, and self-expression in an increasingly exposed world.
