Dr. Kirsi Niinimäki is a Professor of Fashion Research and the leader of the Fashion/Textile FUTURES research group. The research done in this group integrates closed-loop, bioeconomy, and circular-economy approaches in fashion and textile systems and extends the understanding of strategic sustainable design. Lately, Niinimäki has been involved in several research projects that focus on the sustainable transition in the textile and fashion industry (e.g., New Cotton, T-REX, Cellfil, Finix, BioColour).

Niinimäki began her career as a textile designer, working in the textile and fashion industry and running her own design studio. After her design career, she worked in the pedagogical sector as a Principal Lecturer and Head of the study programme before moving into the research field. Niinimäki’s research focuses on the sustainable fashion and textiles sector, and she is an internationally leading scholar in the field of sustainable fashion. She has extensive international experience as a designer, teacher, and researcher. She publishes actively in high-level publications and collaborates within international research networks.

From 2016 until July 2020, Niinimäki served as the Head of the Master’s Programme in Fashion and Collection Design.