Dresses made from 17th century shipwreck

A zero-waste dress was created from wood recovered from a 17th-century cargo shipwreck discovered in 2019 beneath a parking lot during a hotel renovation in Oulu, Finland. The wreck, named Hahtipera, was identified from surviving timber structure and radiocarbon dated to the 17th century, making it the oldest shipwreck found in that region. A large hull section was removed for conservation and display, while smaller fragments were documented but not preserved. Aalto University used surplus hull wood to produce dissolving pulp, then converted it into fiber through the Ioncell process. The resulting fibers are silky, stronger than cotton, and can be made from reclaimed wood and other recycled materials. The yarn remained undyed and unbleached, keeping the wood’s natural brown tone.

"The pulp was subsequently transformed into fiber through the environmentally friendly Ioncell process, which was developed at Aalto University in partnership with Helsinki University. Ioncell fibres have a silky feel and are stronger than cotton. In addition to new and reclaimed wood, the Ioncell method can utilize recycled materials like paper, cardboard, textile waste, and straw for fiber production. The finished yarn from the wreck has a subtle sheen and a beautiful brown tone."

Read at www.thehistoryblog.com