Sarah Brunnhuber, a designer with a passion for sustainability, found her calling in the wake of the 2015 documentary *The True Cost*. This eye-opening film exposed the devastating human and environmental costs of fast fashion, prompting Brunnhuber, then a design student at Design Academy Eindhoven, to dedicate herself to creating a more ethical fashion industry.
Inspired by her internship with Henrik Vibskov in Copenhagen, Brunnhuber developed her signature zero-waste production technique. She weaves pattern-cut pieces directly onto the loom, eliminating the waste generated by traditional fabric cutting methods. Initially, she hand-tied each piece together, resulting in a unique fringed effect. While this meticulous process took a month to produce a single garment, it demonstrated the potential of her approach to significantly reduce waste. On average, 15-25% of fabric is discarded during the production of woven fabrics – a fact often accepted as inevitable.
Recognizing the importance of scaling her technique, Brunnhuber, who had relocated to Copenhagen after graduation, secured funding from the EU and Innovation Fund Denmark. This support enabled her to collaborate with a factory in Prato, Italy, to industrialize her zero-waste process. In 2021, she launched her brand Stem, a slow fashion line embodying her commitment to sustainability. Stem’s debut collection, Edition 1, featured fringed denim jackets and jeans crafted from a blend of recycled and virgin cotton. The designer learned that 100% recycled cotton lacked the necessary strength for her designs, leading her to incorporate virgin cotton in the blend.
Stem quickly gained recognition, attracting the attention of the influential Danish brand Ganni. The two brands collaborated the following year, further solidifying Stem’s position in the sustainable fashion scene. Continuing to innovate, Brunnhuber released Edition 2, a capsule collection showcasing a new high-stretch deadstock wool. This collection highlighted her dedication to reducing plastics in clothing by exploring alternative, sustainable materials. Working with a yarn research studio, she developed a new elastic wool yarn, currently undergoing industrialization.
Stem made its official debut on the Copenhagen Fashion Week schedule this year, presenting Edition 3. This collection featured a new “pulling” technique, where Brunnhuber manipulates loosely woven fabrics after they come off the loom, creating a textured, folksy aesthetic. From a fringed rugby shirt to a textured miniskirt, each piece embodies the designer’s craftsmanship. To further minimize waste, Stem offers pre-order options for its collections, ensuring production is aligned with demand. The brand’s innovative practices and dedication to sustainability have garnered significant interest, and Brunnhuber’s vision for the future includes establishing a textile mill in Denmark to promote local, circular, and zero-waste production methods. “Having my own factory was always the dream,” she says. “I feel quite passionately about reviving the textile manufacturing culture here.” Through her commitment to ethical practices and cutting-edge design, Stem is setting a new standard for the fashion industry, proving that sustainability and style can coexist.
