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Kirsi Niinimäki

Kirsi Niinimäki

Professor
A803 Dept. Design
Professor
Fashion/Textile Futures

Kirsi Niinimäki is Professor (full) in Design, especially Fashion Research, and the leader of the Fashion/Textiles Futures research group. Throughout her research Niinimäki aims towards a new, holistic understanding in the field of sustainable fashion and textiles and therefore her focus is on the connection between design, manufacturing systems, business models and consumption habits. Circular economy, strategic design, design practices and multidisciplinary collaboration are the base for her scientific knowledge building.

Full researcher profile
Postal address
Otaniementie 14 02150 Espoo Finland
Phone number
+358505693359

Honors and awards

Damy Futures Prize 2024 to Praejeen Kunawong's Master thesis

Damy Future Prize 2024: Design graduates Savannah Vise and Prajeen Kunawong have won an honourable mention for their MA work. A total of nine Master's theses were shortlisted for the award. <br/>The honourable mentions were awarded to the works: <br/>Savannah Vize:The Environmental Citizen’s Playbook: A Co-design Inquiry into the Playful Potential of Environmental Action. Aalto University, Department of Design / Creative Sustainability (2022). Supervisor İdil Gaziulusoy.<br/>Praejeen Kunawong: Optimizing the colors of naturally dyed yarns from food by-products by weaving practice Aalto University, Department of Design / Fashion, Clothing and Textiles (2022). Supervisor Kirsi Niinimäki.
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Aug 2024

First prize in Alpha show 2023

Fashion design graduate Tuuli-Tytti Koivula from Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Finland won the top prize at this season's Alpha show 31 January, 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The competition was earlier known as Designers’ Nest.
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Jan 2023

The state prize for design

The national arts councils of the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) have awarded state prizes to distinguished artists, artist groups and art communities. A state prize is awarded in recognition of outstanding work completed in the last three years or for a long and distinguished artistic career or activity in the field.
Award or honor granted for academic or artistic career Department of Design Dec 2022

CONCOURS MODE #HYÈRES37 —PRIX L’ATELIER DES MATIÈRES Sini Saavala

CONCOURS MODE #HYÈRES37 —PRIX L’ATELIER DES MATIÈRES<br/>Le prix l’atelier des matières est décerné Sini Saavala. 37th International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Fashion Accessories, Hyères, France<br/>
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Oct 2022

Research Award 2020, Aalto ARTS

Professor Kirsi Niinimäki has the ability to make the impossible possible. Her many research efforts are implementing a systemic, sustainable approach in the textiles and fashion industry. Sustainability starts with material, colour and production method choices and reaches new business models as well as a new consumer behaviour model. Kirsi’s multifaceted, transdisciplinary research is rooted in design. It makes an impact through national and international visibility.
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Feb 2021

Grant by THE SCANDINAVIA-JAPAN SASAKAWA FOUNDATION

Grant for continuing artistic activities and collaboration with Tama Art University in Japan.
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Jan 2020

Literati Award: Highly Commended Paper in the 2020 Emerald Literati Awards

Honour for an article Määttänen, M., Asikainen, S., Kamppuri, T, Ilen, E., Niinimäki, K., Tanttu, M., Harlin, A. (2019). Colour management in CE; Decolourization of cotton waste. RJTA Research Journal of Textiles and Apparel, 23(2), pp134-152. The editorial team highlights that it is one of the most exceptional pieces of work they saw throughout 2019.
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Dec 2020

Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland

Award or honor granted for academic or artistic career Department of Design Dec 2020

EXHIBITION OF the winner of DESIGNER´S NEST DENMARK, Amina Saada

DESIGN MUSEUM DANMARK<br/>Amina Saada<br/>Title: The Red Bride<br/>Year: 2020<br/>The work of Amina Saada, a graduate of Aalto University in Finland, centres on finding new shapes and ways to make clothing that can be presented as sculptures. <br/>https://designmuseum.dk/en/exhibition/designers-nest/
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Aug 2020

Aalto ARTS grant

Grant for a working group Niinimäki, Leppisaari, Fagerlund for collaboration between Aalto ARTS and Tama Art University Japan and for an exhibition in Helsinki Design Week 2019
Award or honor granted for a specific work Department of Design Mar 2019

Research groups

  • Fashion/Textile Futures

Publications

Anubhuti Bhatnagar, Elina Lewe, Kasia Gorniak, Kirsi Niinimäki 2025 ESEE-Degrowth 2024

Victoria Flexer, Cornelis (Kees) van Leeuwen, Kirsi Niinimäki, Shilong Piao, Erica Siirila-Woodburn , Lan Wang-Erlandsson 2025 Nature Reviews: Earth and Environment

Elina Lewe, Kasia Gorniak, Anubhuti Bhatnagar, Kirsi Niinimäki 2025

Maarit Aakko, Kirsi Niinimäki 2024 Fashion Practice

Anubhuti Bhatnagar, Kirsi Niinimäki 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility in Textiles and Fashion

Anubhuti Bhatnagar, Anna Härri, Jarkko Levänen, Kirsi Niinimäki 2024 Resources, Conservation and Recycling

Sofia Guridi Sotomayor, Kirsi Niinimäki, Simo Särkkä, Jaana Vapaavuori, Yu Xiao, Emmi Pouta 2024

Hella Hernberg, Kirsi Niinimäki 2024 Zero Waste Sustainable Apparel Industry

Sheenam Jain, Susanna Horn, Kirsi Niinimäki 2024 Recycling and lifetime management in the textile and fashion sector

Aino Korhonen, Kirsi Niinimäki 2024 Sustainability and the Fashion Industry : Can Fashion Save the World?