Founded in 2002, upcycled fashion line Remake Sthlm is a much buzzed-about offshoot of social enterprise Stockholms Stadsmission, which operates charity shops across Sweden. The all-encompassing line of clothing and accessories – catering for all genders and kids, too – is made in a small factory in Stockholm and crafted from donated deadstock fabrics and preloved garments. The wares are sold in Stockholm Stadsmission's charity shops and pop-ups – one of which is housed within NK, the Swedish capital's fanciest department store. We caught up with Remake's founder and designer Marie Teike to get her take on consumer habits and the essence of Remake Sthlm – which bagged Sweden's prestigious fashion award Guldknappen (by Damernas Värld magazine) in November 2021.
How would you define Remake Sthlm?
Remake is designed and produced in a way that is sustainable for both people and the environment, using materials donated to Stockholms Stadsmission – the social enterprise we're part of and whose main goal is work integration. Each Remake creation is a one-off and production takes place locally in our studio in the Stockholm district of Farsta. The Remake line alone provides 30 work and training opportunities in a creative and sheltered environment. Working creatively has proven to be hugely beneficial in the rehabilitation from stress related illnesses, tapping into Stockholm Stadsmission's key focus. As for the aesthetic and design direction, the comfort-factor has always been high on my agenda, along with the quality of the materials. I'd describe the vibe as curious and confident. 
What inspired the idea, and how has the line developed since the start?
Witnessing the vast amounts of materials coming in but not selling for various reasons really jolted me into action. I reasoned that all these fabrics could be used to create unique one-off pieces with a high fashion quotient, complementing our second hand offering. The line has gone through several transitions. It started off as a fashion brand focusing on one-off pieces, before expanding to encompass furniture, homeware, jewelry and more. In 2016, we re-labelled the brand and went back to our fashion and textiles roots.
How often do you bring out new collections and how would you describe the interplay between design and the materials you have to hand?
We bring out new collections twice a year but since we rely on an influx of materials we have no control over, collections might change direction slightly throughout the season. We don't tend to change our collections drastically every season, and happily bring out popular carryover styles in new materials and colors. At the same time, there's a real passion for fashion at Remake Sthlm, and we're keen to try new things and experiment as well. The foundation of the collections is always denim and cotton shirts, as there's always a constant supply of these sorts of preloved items, which lend themselves well to repurposing. Woven fabrics are usually better suited as they're quite easy to work with and don’t tend to lose their shape.
Who is the target consumer? Has this demographic changed over the years?
The target consumer is anyone looking for unique pieces made from existing resources. This demographic has widened since the start, and I believe this is due to the growing understanding of the negative effect fashion production has on the planet, which, in turn, has brought about more respect for the craft of garment making. The desire to find something unique in a world full of mass-produced goods also plays in. 
For those who haven't altered their consumer behavior, what's needed to inspire change? And what are the challenges in justifying the prices when a customer asks "why so expensive – isn't this second hand"?
It's essential to educate consumers, highlighting great examples of alternative production and design. Instead of constantly telling consumers that “cheap is good”, the messaging should highlights the fact that quality matters and nothing worth buying is really cheap. We sometimes get customers questioning our prices when selling these garments alongside our second hand offering, but we don't have to justify them as much if we're surrounded by other brands in the same price bracket – charging, say, €200 for a winter jacket. Yet, consumers' idea that second hand is cheap is deeply rooted, particularly since they believe we "get everything for free". It's important to communicate that Remake Sthlm is a brand designed and produced in Sweden, therefore the pricing is just. We are not second hand – we use preloved pieces as our source of material, but all our garments are a new production of one-off pieces. We have a lot of costs to cover, not least salaries – don't expect garment makers to work for free so that you can buy cool clothes cheaply.
It was thrilling to discover your pop-up within Stockholm's upmarket department store NK. How has it been received by shoppers who may not be familiar with the repurposed fashion concept?
It's been great to meet customers who've never bought anything upcycled or second hand before. They've happily bought Remake Sthlm garments, and with a newfound curiosity for upcycling and second hand, we hope they'll be inspired to explore further, perhaps buying a bigger share of second hand product in the future.
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How would you define Remake Sthlm?
Remake is designed and produced in a way that is sustainable for both people and the environment, using materials donated to Stockholms Stadsmission – the social enterprise we're part of and whose main goal is work integration. Each Remake creation is a one-off and production takes place locally in our studio in the Stockholm district of Farsta. The Remake line alone provides 30 work and training opportunities in a creative and sheltered environment. Working creatively has proven to be hugely beneficial in the rehabilitation from stress related illnesses, tapping into Stockholm Stadsmission's key focus. As for the aesthetic and design direction, the comfort-factor has always been high on my agenda, along with the quality of the materials. I'd describe the vibe as curious and confident.
Photo: Emma Holmqvist Deacon
Remake Sthlm's pop-up at NK, one of the Swedish capital's major department stores
Witnessing the vast amounts of materials coming in but not selling for various reasons really jolted me into action. I reasoned that all these fabrics could be used to create unique one-off pieces with a high fashion quotient, complementing our second hand offering. The line has gone through several transitions. It started off as a fashion brand focusing on one-off pieces, before expanding to encompass furniture, homeware, jewelry and more. In 2016, we re-labelled the brand and went back to our fashion and textiles roots.
How often do you bring out new collections and how would you describe the interplay between design and the materials you have to hand?
We bring out new collections twice a year but since we rely on an influx of materials we have no control over, collections might change direction slightly throughout the season. We don't tend to change our collections drastically every season, and happily bring out popular carryover styles in new materials and colors. At the same time, there's a real passion for fashion at Remake Sthlm, and we're keen to try new things and experiment as well. The foundation of the collections is always denim and cotton shirts, as there's always a constant supply of these sorts of preloved items, which lend themselves well to repurposing. Woven fabrics are usually better suited as they're quite easy to work with and don’t tend to lose their shape.
Who is the target consumer? Has this demographic changed over the years?
The target consumer is anyone looking for unique pieces made from existing resources. This demographic has widened since the start, and I believe this is due to the growing understanding of the negative effect fashion production has on the planet, which, in turn, has brought about more respect for the craft of garment making. The desire to find something unique in a world full of mass-produced goods also plays in.
Photo: Emma Holmqvist Deacon
Inside Remake Sthlm's pop-up in upmarket department store NK
It's essential to educate consumers, highlighting great examples of alternative production and design. Instead of constantly telling consumers that “cheap is good”, the messaging should highlights the fact that quality matters and nothing worth buying is really cheap. We sometimes get customers questioning our prices when selling these garments alongside our second hand offering, but we don't have to justify them as much if we're surrounded by other brands in the same price bracket – charging, say, €200 for a winter jacket. Yet, consumers' idea that second hand is cheap is deeply rooted, particularly since they believe we "get everything for free". It's important to communicate that Remake Sthlm is a brand designed and produced in Sweden, therefore the pricing is just. We are not second hand – we use preloved pieces as our source of material, but all our garments are a new production of one-off pieces. We have a lot of costs to cover, not least salaries – don't expect garment makers to work for free so that you can buy cool clothes cheaply.
It was thrilling to discover your pop-up within Stockholm's upmarket department store NK. How has it been received by shoppers who may not be familiar with the repurposed fashion concept?
It's been great to meet customers who've never bought anything upcycled or second hand before. They've happily bought Remake Sthlm garments, and with a newfound curiosity for upcycling and second hand, we hope they'll be inspired to explore further, perhaps buying a bigger share of second hand product in the future.
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