Gabriella Engström new project manager at Wargön Innovation

Hi Gabriella Engström, welcome to Wargön Innovation! How does it feel to be up and running?

Thank you very much! It feels great to be up and running, to be part of a fantastic team and to work in several exciting projects that Wargön Innovation has going on!

What will you do here with us at Wargön Innovation?

My role at Wargön Innovation is project manager. For me, this means being curious, solution-oriented and committed when leading innovation projects and supporting entrepreneurs to enable the sustainable and circular industry of the future. 

What have you worked on before? What do you bring with you from previous employment?

I have previously worked in the fashion and textile industry, most recently working on workwear for a textile service company. There I got to see textiles from a different perspective than the fashion industry traditionally does - for example, the textile products should protect, be functional and be designed to ensure a long user phase. A long user phase requires knowledge sharing and collaboration in several parts of the value chain - I will take this with me into my new role.

What do you do when you are not working?

I love being creative so in my spare time there will be a lot of cooking that I like to invite family and friends to. There will also be a lot of renovation projects with my husband as we bought an old shoe factory a few years ago that we hope to live in soon.

Finally, it's getting close to Christmas. What is your best sustainable Christmas tip? 

Dare to be more creative and maybe remove some of the "musts" that create stress! In my family, for example, we have introduced "Secret Santa" Christmas presents to reduce both stress and consumerism. You always write a rhyme for your Christmas present; writing rhymes provides a calm and creative moment before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, it's so much fun to hear the rhymes and you really feel how much time and love someone has put into your Christmas present. We wrap the presents in beautiful Christmas sacks that can be used year after year - both nice under the tree and sustainable.

Gabriella will initially work on the CISUTAC, Circular Textile Framework and Green Valleys 2.0 projects.