European brand Zalando introduces new business models for circularity

With its new initiatives, Zalando aims to make a transition towards a circular system, redesigning each step of the product life cycle holistically: design and manufacture - use - reuse - close the loop. From designing for circularity via the ‘redeZIGN for circularity’ collection, to piloting repairs, to constantly scaling its pre-owned offering, to developing an open-source platform for textile waste management as part of the Sorting For Circularity Project with Fashion for Good: Zalando’s strategy aims to find answers to the whole spectrum of the industry challenges involving customers, brands and partners, Zalando said in a press release.

“To reduce its negative impact on people and the planet the fashion industry needs to move towards a circular system. At Zalando, we see this shift as a unique opportunity to lead the redesign of the fashion industry, open up new revenue streams and capitalize on seismic shifts in consumer behavior which are already underway,” said Laura Coppen, head of circularity at Zalando.

In the design stage, Zalando is working together with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Berlin-based start-up circular.fashion to define industry-wide circular product criteria and upskill its private label teams on circular design.

In order to empower customers to reuse and resell their clothes, Zalando is constantly scaling its pre-owned experience enabling customers to buy or trade in like-new, pre-owned fashion. Since the launch in September 2020 the offer grew tenfold from 20,000 to now over 2,00,000 articles.

“According to our Attitude-Behavior Gap report, over 60 per cent of consumers believe it is important that their clothes get a new lease of life rather than heading to landfill. Our aim is to drive behavior change towards circular products and experiences. We don't have all the answers yet but we are collaborating with key industry changemakers testing and scaling new solutions in order to transition to a fully circular business,” Coppen said.

To grow the current 1 per cent of textiles recycled into new textiles in the industry Zalando is investing in new recycling technologies. Zalando just announced its investment into the textile regeneration technology group Infinited Fiber Company, which is creating a new circular, premium textile fiber from textile waste to reduce the world’s reliance on virgin raw materials. As part of the Sorting For Circularity Project with Fashion for Good Zalando scales an open-source platform for textile waste management.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)