House of Dagmar Wins First Zalando Sustainability Award during Copenhagen Fashion Week

• House of Dagmar’s continued commitment to producing fashionable, high-quality and low-impact products stood out from the competition
• ­House of Dagmar and Zalando to create exclusive collection to further explore sustainable solutions
• The Zalando Sustainability Award aims to encourage fashion brands to explore alternative approaches to design and production to contribute to a more sustainable future

BERLIN, FEBRUARY 4, 2021 // Zalando, Europe’s leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle, announces the Swedish label House of Dagmar as the winner of its first Sustainability Award in partnership with Copenhagen Fashion Week. House of Dagmar particularly impressed for its strong sustainable ambition which is implemented through many aspects of the brand’s supply chain. The collection can be explored in the Zalando Greenhouse. House of Dagmar will receive a financial prize and a partnership with Zalando in developing an exclusive collection that will continue to explore sustainability solutions in design across materials, production processes, technological solutions and traceability. To further support House of Dagmar in its business growth, Zalando will make a broad selection of the collection showcased at Copenhagen Fashion Week available to its more than 35 million customers across 17 European markets.

Kate Heiny, Director Sustainability at Zalando says: “We are delighted to be able to announce House of Dagmar as the winner of the first Sustainability Award. This is the next step on our journey towards finding more sustainable solutions. Together, we are excited to explore, and improve, the use of materials, production processes and technological advancements that will mirror the ambition and commitment of all involved. The Sustainability Award is a really important initiative for us as we continue our work in collaboration and supporting brands to really drive a change and make a positive impact on the people and planet.”

According to the jury, Swedish House of Dagmar’s commitment to a more sustainable future is evident. Aware that materials make up 70% of the brand’s footprint, the brand is committed to removing unsustainable materials from collections and replacing them with more sustainable options, including choosing recycled rather than virgin materials, or options with less chemicals and water usage. Its effort to drive a positive impact is noted in its recent collection, with 90% of the garments labeled as ‘GOOD CHOICE’ - indicating they are created from more sustainable fabrics and also educating consumers around their shopping choices. The brand continues to challenge itself and began measuring its annual fibre footprint in 2017 and has since gone on to reduce water consumption by 41%. Finally, the jury highlighted that House of Dagmar has extended its efforts to understand supply chains and ensure workers rights are meeting the brand’s own high standards.

Sofia Wallenstam, Brand Director at House of Dagmar, says: “Thank you Zalando for making sustainability a top priority for our industry and selecting us as your first awardee. We feel inspired and energized to do even more – in a year such as the one we have behind us this is the ignition we need to keep pushing. We are so excited to receive recognition for our efforts and be given the spotlight on the matters of sustainability – this is what we have been doing for more than 15 years now. As fashion and sustainability is not a game or a sport where only one brand can win, we feel we want to share this recognition with so many of our very ambitious industry colleagues. We in team House of Dagmar are accepting this award with a humble mind. As a team we are truly doing our very best on the matter, but we still have a very long way to go to achieve our own goals. This gives us a push to keep putting even higher targets.” 

Arizona Muse, model, environmental activist and sustainability consultant, says: “Huge congratulations to House of Dagmar on winning the first ever Zalando Sustainability Award in partnership with Copenhagen Fashion Week. We are in a planetary emergency, and it is crucial that the fashion industry steps up. I truly believe that fashion has a bright future, and brands like House of Dagmar are a symbol for that. The passion, effort and desire to make a positive impact on people and the planet that has gone into this collection is admirable and initiatives like this lead our industry into the right direction.” 

The runner up, Marimekko, was also recognized by the jury as being an outstanding example of how a brand could approach a holistic focus on integrating sustainability throughout the entire value chain. Marimekko showcased a seasonless collection at Fashion Week, inspired to be ideal for longevity and created with more sustainable materials.

The winner was chosen by six jury members including model and environmental activist, Arizona Muse, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, Cecilie Thorsmark, CSO of Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), Morten Lehman, Sustainability and brand advisor, Dio Kurazawa, Director of Sustainability at Zalando, Kate Heiny, and Buying Director Premium & Luxury at Zalando, Lena-Sophie Roeper. The jury members closely reviewed each brands’ sustainability strategies, including their collections and level of dedication to sustainable advancements.