Denmark's Nikolaj Storm launches circular design collection on Zalando

The 13-piece collection named ‘Synthesizer’ is inspired by fluorescent colours and the sound of electro and techno beats, as well as the cracking sound of nylon. Nikolaj made the conscious decision to help change the perception of synthetics by producing the collection only using synthetic fibres including recycled polyester and Lycra T400, an inherently elastic type of polyester fibres, Zalando said in a press release.

“The use of synthetics fibres enables durability in the garments made, allowing for repeated recycling without the product diminishing in quality. The fibres also allow for bolder colours and better retention, with clothing not losing its shape, a reason why it is used in sportswear,” said Storm.

The exclusive collection has been designed by Nikolaj Storm according to circular.fashion’s Circular Design Criteria, for which Zalando has been an active partner in developing. Zalando has adapted those criteria to its existing Sustainability Criteria and launched it in 2022 to enable designers industry-wide to change the way they design products and set a clear framework for brands wanting to sell and promote such products on Zalando’s platform.

Zalando has commissioned the independent sustainability consultancy Anthesis to assess the application of the circular design criteria at each stage of the product lifecycle and highlight opportunities for improvement.

The Circular Design Criteria are built on three strategies, products are made with safe and recycled and/or renewable inputs; products are made to last longer, be repaired, and potentially also carry digital product passports, allowing for flow through circular business models; and products are made to be made again, so they can be recycled or regenerated into new materials when they reach end of life.

All items in the capsule collection follow at least the minimum level of the criteria. Design changes have been considered to follow the criteria, such as wider seams to enable easy alteration, zips to allow products to transcend seasons by switching from trousers to shorts, and care and repair QR codes on every style to enable consumers to understand how they can extend the product life cycle.

Designing and producing a circular collection is currently quite demanding in terms of the certification process which is essential to ensure the verification of claims across all parties involved. Ultimately and due to these challenges, one of the original styles did not receive the correct certification and therefore was removed from the collection.

However, to bring this particular piece to life in a new and innovative way Zalando partnered with The Dematerialised, a web3 ecommerce platform which closely collaborates with brands to create clothes which only exist in online spaces. To showcase the style that couldn’t be physically produced, Dematerialised created a digital counterpart as an AR Filter to be used on Snapchat and worn virtually.

“This was such an empowering journey for me as a designer—to be able to create something that tries to push the industry boundaries but also stays true and honest about the process, highlighting how much it takes for a product to be circular. I wanted to create a collection that told the story and development of the process, showing that we are not fully there yet but striving to be the absolute best version that we can be at this current moment,” added Storm.

“With Nikolaj Storm, we found a fertile collaboration ground. Building on his great knowledge and design skills, we raised the bar by challenging and upskilling him on circular design. Nikolaj showcased expertise, an open mind, curiosity, and flexibility to explore circular design despite the multiple obstacles and ambiguity that inevitably come in unexplored and innovative spaces. We are thankful for this collaboration, and are excited to showcase his strong designs, together with insights and learnings on the roadblocks we encountered and how we tackled them together,” said Laura Coppen, head of circularity at Zalando.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)