Changing the fashion game: Borre Akkersdijk
Having collaborated with brands such as Nike and Louis Vuitton, 3-D textiles pioneer borre akkersdijk is now helping the textiles industry to be more sustainable with his revolutionary byborre create platform,
“‘We want to create a ripple effect for lasting change’”
Where did your journey begin?
’My venture into textiles began while I was a student at Design Academy Eindhoven, where I focused on textiles. During my studies, I realized that from birth, and throughout our lives, we're wrapped in textiles—a common commodity that few people think about. I wanted to change traditional practices, so I came up with the idea to create textiles from the yarn up, allowing control over both function and aesthetics. At the academy, no one else made textiles from scratch; they typically manipulated existing materials, like printing graphics on them. I contacted knitting manufacturers and started experimenting with creating 3-D fabrics, which I turned into clothing under Byborre Editions, a showcase we recently stopped to introduce our made-to-order textile library, Byborre Textiles.’
How were your fabrics received in the market?
’They were a big hit in Japan. Unlike in other countries, in Japan, people inspected the fabric and the detailing without checking the label. They were really amazed by it. Japanese people value quality and craftsmanship above all else. Ever since I practiced judo as a young boy, I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese culture, so it was no surprise when my clothing gained recognition there.’
What happened next during your time at the Design Academy?
’I went to the US to study womenswear and fashion illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York for a semester. I was also invited to the prestigious Parsons School of Design, where I participated in more fashion illustrating. I put in the hours to really understand the whole industry, not just product design. To make ends meet, I worked in nightclubs.’
How did you end up interning for the renowned trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort in Paris?
’I actually wanted to go to Balenciaga. When I showed up on their doorstep, they asked me to learn French. Since I'm very dyslexic, learning French was out of the question. Fortunately, I had a contact at Lidewij Edelkoort, so I managed to get an interview with Lidewij herself. During the meeting, she sat in a huge wooden chair designed by the Campana Brothers. She seemed unimpressed while perusing my portfolio, but eventually, she offered me the position. I worked with Lidewij for three years. Even though we often bumped heads, she was like a mother to me. Lidewij showed me the ropes, introduced me to her network, and let me run important projects by myself.
What is Byborre Create and how does it work?
’Byborre Create is a tool for choosing fit-for-purpose textile compositions with any chosen range of colours, patterns, structures, and functions. Once you’ve made your choices, our knitting machines produce a sample for around €150. If the sample is approved, we can produce the order at any scale, using only the amount of fabric needed, so there’s no unnecessary waste. This makes Byborre Create a unique solution that fully controls material production, showcasing full transparency in one of the world’s most pollutive industries. With our software, anyone involved with textiles—from leaders in the fashion, automotive, and interior design industries to independent artists and students—can easily design their own fabrics from behind their computer.’
To build the platform, you partnered with a tech professional.
’Yes, in 2015 I met my business partner, Arnoud Haverlag. Our worlds – mine in the arts, his in technology – collided, and Byborre Create was born. My focus has now shifted from designing my own responsible textiles to helping others in our industry create such textiles.’
Byborre is going from start-up to ‘scale-up’. What are your ambitions?
’It all starts with transparency and sharing. In fashion, no one shares their knowledge. When I started out, even close friends were hesitant to share their best contacts. Our Byborre Create platform revolves around an open-source mindset: sharing everything to perfect the production process and work with the best in the field—from yarn specialists to machine technicians—at all stages of production, from sampling to the end product.’
What do we need to do as a society to be more sustainable?
’We desperately need to rethink how we use our precious resources. This year, Earth Overshoot Day—the date when humanity has used all the biological resources that the Earth can regenerate in a year – was 28 July! Take the textiles industry, for example, with a market size of about a trillion euros per year. It starts with extracting resources, pushing them to yarn suppliers, then to designers, and so on. Everyone’s trying to push as much product as possible because that’s how they make money. This leads to massive overproduction, which must be curbed. At Byborre Create, we want to be pioneers and create a ripple effect for lasting sustainable change.’
How sustainable are you in daily life?
’Where possible, I buy products, such as bread, from local companies. I also do my best to stay healthy. Poor health can also have a significant impact on society.’
How do you stay healthy?
’Some people in Japan follow the Ikigai philosophy: do something that energises you rather than something that drains you. By following Ikigai, I never feel depleted.’
