This dress is made from the remains of a 17th-century shipwreck

Researchers at Finland's Aalto University have salvaged 300-year-old wood from the wreckage of a cargo ship in Oulu, which was transformed into yarn and knitted into a zero-waste dress.

The dress is made from pieces of timber extracted from the Hahtiperä shipwreck, discovered in 2019 under a parking lot in Oulu, central Finland.

Dress by researchers at Aalto University — Aalto University researchers have transformed 300-year-old wood into a dress

A team of experts in textile design, chemistry and forestry worked on the project under the guidance of Aalto University advisor Pirjo Kääriäinen.

Scientist Inge Schlapp-Hackl was tasked with creating a textile out of the cargo vessel's wooden remains, which date back to 1684, after it became clear that not all parts of the wreck could be preserved in a project that ended up taking several years.

So maritime archaeologist Minna Koivikko asked the group of researchers to give the timber remains a "meaningful second life".

Close-up of the brown dress — The timber was salvaged from the Hahtiperä shipwreck in Oulu

"The wreck had only partially survived, and not everything could be preserved, even though every piece was documented," said the archaeologist. "It felt unfortunate, and I began wondering whether the wood fragments could still be of use."

"Underwater cultural heritage is often invisible, but the shipwreck dress brings it into people's everyday environments," added Koivikko. "It's almost like a spokesperson for history – with a modern twist."

Close-up of the the yarn — Inge Schlapp-Hackl created yarn from the remains

The process started with chopping the large hunks of wood into smaller planks. The outer layer of each piece of wood was removed, ridding it of any contaminants that had built up over centuries.

Once sanitised, the timber was shredded and processed into pulp with a high cellulose content. Cellulose is the primary building block of plant cells and of natural fibres such as cotton and linen.

"The pulp made from the wreck contained very few impurities and was surprisingly easy to process," said the scientist.

Shipwreck in Oulu, Finland — The shipwreck was discovered in 2019

Schlapp-Hackl then transformed the pulp into fibres using Ioncell technology, developed in 2013 by researchers at Aalto University.

The technology uses an ionic liquid – a type of salt in liquid form – as a non-toxic solvent to break the cellulose down into a thick liquid polymer, which can then be spun into yarn.

"Ioncell fibres have a silky feel and are stronger than cotton," explained Schlapp-Hackl. "The finished yarn is surprisingly strong."

Knitwear designer Anna-Mari Leppisaari used the yarn to conceive two identical sleeveless maxi dresses, crafted with an industrial knitting machine.

Each dress was designed as a seamless garment to avoid wasting any material, according to the researchers. The pieces feature a natural brown hue and delicate sheen from the wood, and were left undyed and unbleached as an ode to the Hahtiperä shipwreck.

The dresses are also characterised by abstract patterns informed by "wood grain and digital noise", created using AI technology developed by researcher Severi Uusitalo.

Brown dress made from the shipwreck — After its discovery, two identical dresses were created over several years

The dresses will be on display as part of an exhibition called Tomorrow's Wardrobe, which opens tomorrow at the Oulu Art Museum.

Based in Espoo, just outside of Helsinki, Aalto University is known for its multidisciplinary and sustainability-focused approach to design.

Each year, the university hosts an exhibition called Designs for a Cooler Planet. Past editions have explored other materials created using cellulose, including a plant-based textile filling and biodegradable bubble wrap.

The photography is courtesy of Aalto University.

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