Zalando places emphasis on sustainability with new collection

Online retailer Zalando is putting sustainability at the forefront of its offering with a new exclusive capsule womenswear collection in collaboration with nine Nordic brands.

Launching in each of Zalando’s 17 markets including the UK, from January 27, the ‘Small Steps. Big Impact. by Zalando’ sustainable womenswear collection aims to offer a “strong base for a lasting wardrobe” and features Nordic brands, Blanche, Bruuns Bazaar, Designers Remix, Filippa K, Han Kjøbenhavn, Holzweiler, House of Dagmar, Libertine Libertine and Won Hundred.

Lena-Sophie Roeper, head of buying premium and sports at Zalando, said in a statement: “Sustainability is an increasingly important topic in all our categories, especially in premium. We know, our premium customers demand products that are not only of high quality and fashionable design but also have sustainability benefits.

“As a platform with more than 29 million active customers in 17 countries and more than 2,000 brands, we know that we can influence the demand for and the supply of sustainable fashion. The collection, ‘Small steps. Big impact. by Zalando’, is a huge step in the right direction.”

The nine Nordic brands, which Zalando calls “frontrunners in sustainable fashion” were challenged by the online retailer to create a “cohesive, conscious collection that didn’t compromise on design or quality”.

Zalando teams up with 9 Nordic brands on a sustainable womenswear collection

The result is a 70-piece strong collection, highlighting an array of sustainable fabrics including organic cotton, long-lasting triacetate, 100 percent recycled polyester, and Oeko-Tex certified prints, as well as less resource-intensive processing techniques such as using fewer pesticides and saving water.

The concept of the collection is to create a “personal style to last multiple seasons,” explained Zalando and comes in a muted colour palette across the mixture of light, flowing dresses, structured suits, T-shirts, durable denim and lightweight jackets that have been designed to allow the wearer to mix and match.

Highlights include a 100 percent recycled polyester and chiffon tiered dress by Bruuns Bazaar, a bold pink suit by Designer Remix made from a woven, recycled cotton blend, and a tailored jacket by Filippa K made from double triacetate, a fibre made from wood pulp that is created in a closed-loop process by Mitsubishi in Japan.

“We are seeing a young generation that are truly ready to take action and act on climate changes. There is no doubt that they will lead the way for a more conscious way of making and buying fashion,” explains Charlotte Eskildsen, Designers Remix. “People are moving in a more minimalistic direction and are looking for modern but classic pieces that can stand the test of time – both in terms of quality and design.”

Other pieces featured in the capsule line include a layered jacket by Han Kjøbenhavn made in Portugal using 100 percent recycled polyester, Holzweiler’s one of a kind hoodie has been updated with 100 percent BCI Cotton and raglan sleeves for a better fit over the shoulders and a longer lifetime, while House of Dagmar has designed a skirt made from GOTS certified organic cotton, and Libertine Libertine has created a drapy EcoVero viscose maxi dress with a spring flowery paisley print made from a fabric produced in the EU.

Commenting on their contribution to the capsule collection, Daniel Hummel, Han Kjøbenhavn, said: “We want to prove that sustainable fashion doesn’t have to be plain and boring, that you don’t have to compromise on design and visual expressions. We want to prove that creativity and sustainability can be easily combined.”

Zalando collaborates with Filippa K, Holzweiler, and House of Dagmar

The move is part of Zalando’s ongoing commitment to offering its consumers sustainable fashion options. Currently, the online retailer offers 20,000 items flagged with sustainability from over 240 different brands.

Jonny Ng, director marketing strategy and campaigns at Zalando, added: “This collaboration continues Zalando’s sustainability goals by responding to the changing needs of our customers.

“The collection, aims to increase customers’ awareness of Zalando’s sustainable fashion assortment, while guiding customers towards more conscious choices. By working together with these nine premium brands we want to demonstrate how easy it is for our customers to find sustainable style from head-to-toe."

It follows Zalando’s first dedicated sustainable fashion campaign and the release of their sustainability strategy 2023, titled ‘Do.More’, in October 2019. The report highlighted that the European retailer acknowledged that it didn’t want to be part of the problem, but rather part of the solution by tackling fundamental sustainability challenges by using its scale and technology to take the lead in building the connections needed to transform the industry.

‘Small steps. Big impact. by Zalando’ is its latest initiative to leveraging its influence as a platform to facilitate projects and collaborations by joining forces with top brands who it notes “share our vision and ethics” and working together for “a better cause”.

Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is Europe’s leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle, with more than 29 million active customers in 17 markets, offering clothing, footwear, accessories, and beauty.

Images: courtesy of Zalando