As people’s values are becoming more infused in their shopping habits, consumers are getting more environmentally and socially conscious, turning to brands and retailers that not only talk about responsibility but also demonstrate it by inviting the consumers to their community and collaborations.
— We know that both our current and future customer base is calling for more sustainable choices in fashion. Together with our people, partners and customers, we’ll take a stand, style with care and shape our future, says Kate Heiny Director of sustainability at Zalando
Following the successful launch of the first Small steps. Big impact. collection in January 2020, Zalando has expanded the concept to include both men’s and women’s clothing. This time, the collection has been put together by eight European brands; CLOSED, Designer’s Remix, Henrik Vibskov, Holzweiler, House of Dagmar, Mother of Pearl, Mykke Hofmann and Progetto Quid.
Zalando combines some of the most creative and innovative stars from the fashion industry to create a collection of 116 different garments. The contributing brands from Scandinavia, Germany, the UK, and Italy were selected based on their values around sustainability and were asked to create a conscious collection under a common aesthetic, with a focus on using materials from sustainable sources. Small steps. Big impact. encourages a constructive conversation to work towards a more sustainable fashion industry. Uwe Kippschnieder is the denim developer at CLOSED and knows that the collection is important.
— Scandinavia is at the forefront of sustainability. Before the Covid-19 crisis, we could see that it was mainly a trendsetting conscious consumer that engaged in our sustainability work and demanded products that were produced in a certain way. Now we see the consumer demand increase in all aspects surrounding sustainability and that Scandinavia is one of the regions where this change is happening faster than others, he says.
”Human rights and working standards are under threat. We also know that we have been part of the problem”
The capsule collection repeats the message of Zalando’s sustainability strategy for 2023, entitled do.MORE, which was launched in October last year. Zalando acknowledges that the fashion industry contributes enormously to the negative environmental impact in the world and strives to be part of the solution. The company wants to use its scope, its contacts, its scale and its technology to influence positive change in the fashion industry and become a sustainable platform with a positive impact on people and the planet.
— We know that the fashion industry is facing huge, complex challenges. The planet is suffering from the effects of climate change and unsustainable use of resources. Human rights and working standards are under threat. We also know that we have been part of the problem. Now we need to be part of the solution, concludes Kate Heiny.
Interested in getting the full picture of the New Sustainable Consumer report? Secure your free ticket to the live stream experience — Scandinavian MIND Transformation Conference on November 12.
