Material innovation is the focus of the new ZIGN Studio Collection by Zalando, the German online fashion retailer based in Berlin.
The new private-label collection is made up of 41 men’s and 39 men’s products across clothing, shoes and accessories. Some items in the collection are made from renewable wood pulp like Naia Renew which is 60 percent sustainable wood pulp and 40 percent recycled waste material. Other progressive and eco-friendlier inputs include a bio-derived leather alternative made from coffee grounds, recycled fishnet nylon, recycled wool. and other renewable and recyclable materials. The pigments and dyes used are also recycled.
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The fledgling in-house brand gives the e-tailer a chance to “challenge the status quo,” Markus Breitsameter, design lead textiles for Zalando‘s private label division, said in a video about the autumn/winter launch.
The pieces in the collection integrate modular design elements to broaden the way they are worn. One item is a down jacket with detachable sleeves that allows the wearer to have the jacket and a vest. A black long-sleeve dress transforms into a sleeveless dress and snug bolero “so you have two pieces in one,” Breitsameter said.
“It’s definitely a new approach to also create modular designs,” he added.
The collection follows Zalando’s mono-material ethos which calls for a minimum of 95 percent single material, in keeping with the company’s Circular Design Criteria. This means that products can fit within either the biological or technical cycle so they can either biodegrade or be recycled and regenerated into new resources.
According to Sara Diez, Zalando’s vice president of private label, sustainability and D&I product, the company’s private labels are its incubator, the testing ground for dynamic solutions in fashion, especially in sustainability, circularity, diversity and inclusion. The ZIGN Studio Collection is the next chapter.
“The collection combines trend-forward designs with daily wearability, innovative materials, modularity and a circular approach,” she said. “It plays into our ambition to offer exceptional value and quality to our customers while pushing innovation forward.”
The ZIGN Studio Collection demonstrates a re-thinking of the trajectory from drawing board to finished product and covers the whole product life cycle from sourcing materials, the design process and the manufacturing process. Zalando, which recently hired a sustainability executive away from H&M, has used deadstock to create new fashion and added virtual fitting room technology to help customers better pick jeans that fit the way they want.
Additional reporting by Jessica Binns.
