Raeburn, Mworks and Ranra shortlisted for Sustainability Award

Zalando and Copenhagen Fashion Week have named British fashion brand Raeburn, Parisian-based Mworks, and London/Reykjavík based design studio Ranra as the finalists for the Zalando Sustainability Award.

The award, which is in its fourth season, celebrates brands that drive positive change and contribute to a more responsible fashion industry and will be presented during Copenhagen Fashion Week, which takes place from August 9-12.

The finalists were selected by a jury, including the chief executive of Copenhagen Fashion Week Cecilie Thorsmark, model, environmental activist and sustainability consultant Arizona Muse, sustainability and brand advisor Dio Kurazawa, as well as representatives from Zalando. Each applicant was reviewed for their approach to sustainability with a focus on their use of certified materials, production processes, innovation, transparency and integration of circular practices.

In a statement, Zalando said that the jury was impressed by Christopher Raeburn’s eponymous brand’s innovation with reworking surplus fabrics to create distinctive and functional pieces, Mworks use of innovative materials and techniques such as Seaqual yarn and seamless knitting, as well as Ranra’s drive to launch a recycling and garment repair programme.

Zalando and Copenhagen Fashion Week unveil SS23 Sustainability Award finalists

Kate Heiny, director of sustainability at Zalando, and jury member said: “With these three brands named as the finalists in this year’s award, the SS23 season at Copenhagen Fashion Week is set to be a really exciting event.

“This award is an opportunity for both Zalando and Copenhagen Fashion Week to publicly reward brands that have a strong sustainability agenda and facilitate collaboration across the industry. It spotlights brands that are leading in the sustainability space – and in doing so, Zalando aims to inform and inspire consumers and help to transform the fashion industry.”

The three finalists will receive funding for production costs to debut their designs in the official Zalando x CPHFW partnership hub venue and the digital Greenhouse.

The winner of the Sustainability Award will receive 20,000 euros and a partnership with Zalando to develop an exclusive capsule collection “which will contribute to the sustainability conversation” by exploring sustainability solutions in design across materials, production processes, technological solutions and traceability.

Previous winners of the Zalando Sustainability Award include House of Dagmar, Nikolaj Storm, and Iso.Poetism by Tobias Birk Nielsen.

Zalando will announce the winner at a catwalk event on August 11 during Copenhagen Fashion Week.