Jodie Padget, innovation manager at Camira, talks to us about Jonathan Hindle Prize of Outstanding Design winner ReSKU 2.0
Fifty years on from its founding, Yorkshire-based fabric manufacturer Camira chose to mark the milestone in 2024 by not by looking outward, but by looking back. ReSKU 2.0 is a considered reworking of one of the company’s most quietly radical textiles, a fabric that first appeared in 1998 and challenged long-held assumptions about waste, value, and design long before circularity became an industry buzzword.
The original ReSKU was made from recycled army jumpers, a bold and unconventional move at the time. For 2024, Camira revisited that idea with fresh eyes, updating the fabric for modern interiors while remaining faithful to its distinctive character.
Jodie Padget, innovation manager at Camira and one of the designers of ReSKU 2.0 along with Jane Marks-Yewdall, explains: “ReSKU 2.0 was born out of a desire to celebrate our 50th anniversary while revisiting one of our most iconic innovations. The original ReSKU was ahead of its time in demonstrating the potential of textile reprocessing. For 2024, we wanted to honour that heritage, updating the concept with modern techniques and materials to create a fabric that is both nostalgic and forward-looking.”
That tension between past and present defines ReSKU 2.0. Visually and tactually, it retains the homespun texture, hopsack weave, and unmistakable recycled wool character that made the original so distinctive. Look closer, however, and the refinements become apparent. The fabric has been engineered to meet contemporary performance standards, expanding its potential across upholstery, curtains, and drapes in commercial, hospitality, and residential settings.
“We retained the soul of ReSKU – the homespun texture, hopsack weave, and recycled wool character – while refining it for today’s design and performance standards,” says Jodie. “By introducing renewable flax and improving the recycling process, ReSKU 2.0 meets contemporary requirements for durability, flammability, and multi-application use.”
Materiality plays a central role in that evolution. ReSKU 2.0 blends recycled wool from Camira’s own manufacturing waste with renewable flax and recycled polyamide, each element carefully chosen for both performance and sustainability. Wool provides warmth and tactility, flax adds strength and subtle colour variation, while recycled polyamide enhances durability. Together, they create a fabric that feels soft yet resilient, offered in 24 colourways with depth and nuance.
Behind the scenes, the technical challenges were significant. Turning disparate recycled fibres into a consistent, high-quality yarn demanded meticulous sorting and mechanical processing, all while preserving the natural irregularity that gives ReSKU its charm. Achieving modern flammability and performance standards added another layer of complexity, pushing the development process well beyond a simple update.
Sustainability, however, was never treated as an add-on. It shaped every decision from the outset.
“ReSKU 2.0 uses waste from our own production, reducing landfill contributions and resource consumption,” Jodie explains. “By blending recycled wool with renewable flax and designing for circularity, we created a fabric that can be repurposed, reprocessed, and celebrated again.”
The result is a textile that feels honest and purposeful, one that invites designers to engage with its texture and subtle colour shifts. Its naturally layered appearance brings warmth and tactility to interiors, while its versatility allows it to sit comfortably alongside established Camira ranges such as Main Line Flax, Main Line Twist, and Blazer.
In 2025, ReSKU 2.0’s thoughtful balance of heritage, innovation, and environmental responsibility was recognised with both a Design Guild Mark and the Jonathan Hindle Prize for Outstanding Design.
Looking ahead, Camira sees ReSKU 2.0 as more than a retrospective gesture. It is a reminder that textile waste holds untapped creative potential.
“ReSKU 2.0 demonstrates that textile waste is not a problem, but a resource with immense creative potential,” says Jodie. “By combining heritage techniques with sustainable innovation, we hope to inspire designers and manufacturers to rethink how fabrics are made.”
