Zalando responds to spike in ‘eco’ search terms

BERLIN – Online fashion giant, Zalando, is extending the number of lines it stocks from brands with sustainable credentials. The global retailer will extend its collections to include brands such as Ecoalf, Mud Jeans, Swe-s, Girlfriend Collective and Stripe + Stare in the next few weeks after a spike in searches for terms such as ‘organic’ or ‘fairtrade’ and a growth in demand for sustainable products by customers.

The Zalando platform has 27 million customers in 17 countries and boasts around 2,000 brands. The business claims its sustainable fashion assortment consists of more than 15,000 items from over 240 brands, and it is keen to extend this moving forwards.

“One of the challenges our customers face is that it can be difficult to know what sustainability actually means, and how to find products according to their social and environmental values,” the company said in a press note. “We want to play a role in changing that.”

At present, Zalando’s stocks premium brands with a sustainability focus including brands such as Mother of Pearl and Filippa K, footwear from Veja, outdoor clothing from brands like Patagonia, denim by Nudie Jeans, and Eco Fair Fashion for women and men by ARMEDANGELS.

Zalando flags items with more sustainable materials or certificates on its website with a sustainability flag. The business first tested this flag in 2017 in order for customers to easily find products by brands that use more sustainable materials or practices. In 2018, it rolled it out to all of its 17 markets.

Sara Diez, vice president womenswear at Zalando said: “Our current fashion assortment with a sustainability benefit is already one of the largest available in Europe, but we’re just getting started. Our ambition is to provide customers with a bigger assortment to choose from, clearer information to choose with, and all the inspiration they need to make more sustainable choices. Onboarding these new brands is an important step on our journey, and we’ll focus on adding more sustainable choices to our assortment in the upcoming months.

“Zalando is conscious of its ability to influence the demand for and the supply of sustainable fashion. By using our scale and partnering up with key players in the industry, we can increase awareness of and engagement in sustainable fashion.”