Zalando, the prominent Berlin-based online fashion retailer, has shifted its focus toward material innovation with the launch of the ZIGN Studio Collection. This new private-label collection boasts an impressive array of 80 products spanning clothing, footwear, and accessories, with sustainability and creativity at its core.
What sets the ZIGN Studio Collection apart is its pioneering use of cutting-edge materials. Several items in the collection, such as Naia Renew, incorporate renewable wood pulp, comprising 60% sustainable wood pulp and 40% recycled waste material. Additionally, the collection features a bio-derived leather alternative crafted from coffee grounds, recycled fishnet nylon, recycled wool, and various other renewable and recyclable materials.
The commitment to sustainability extends to the pigments and dyes used, which are also recycled, as Zalando sources brands that carry GOTS, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, and Cradle to Cradle certification.
Embracing the Mono-Material Ethos
Markus Breitsameter, design lead textiles for Zalando's private label division, highlighted the collection's mission to challenge the status quo. With a focus on modular design elements, these pieces offer versatility to consumers. For instance, a down jacket with detachable sleeves transforms into both a jacket and a vest, while a black long-sleeve dress can be converted into a sleeveless dress and a snug bolero.
The ZIGN Studio Collection aligns with Zalando's mono-material ethos, requiring a minimum of 95% single material—a core tenet of the company's Circular Design Criteria. This ensures that products can either biodegrade or be recycled and regenerated into new resources, fitting seamlessly within the biological or technical cycle.
Sara Diez, Zalando's Vice President of Private Label, Sustainability, and D&I Product, underscored the significance of private labels as an incubator for dynamic fashion solutions, especially in sustainability, circularity, diversity, and inclusion. The ZIGN Studio Collection represents the next step in this journey, combining trend-forward designs, daily wearability, innovative materials, modularity, and a circular approach.
A Vision for Sustainable Fashion
Diez emphasized that the collection combines trend-forward designs with daily wearability, innovative materials, modularity, and a circular approach. It plays into its ambition to offer exceptional value and quality to our customers while pushing innovation forward.
The ZIGN Studio Collection revolutionizes the fashion industry by reimagining the entire product life cycle. From sourcing materials to the design and manufacturing processes, Zalando's commitment to sustainability shines through. Notably, the company has repurposed deadstock materials to create new fashion and introduced virtual fitting room technology to assist customers in selecting jeans that best suit their preferences.
Zalando's dedication to sustainable innovation, as exemplified by the ZIGN Studio Collection, marks a significant step toward a more environmentally conscious and responsible future for fashion.