Leading European online fashion and lifestyle platform Zalando and Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) have announced the finalists for this season’s Zalando Sustainability Award. Ukraine-based TG Botanical, Sweden-based Selam Fessahaye, and Denmark-based STAMM are in contention for the award that will be presented during Copenhagen Fashion Week, from January 31 to February 03, 2023.

This is the fifth season of the strategic partnership between Zalando and Copenhagen Fashion Week with the aim to positively transform the fashion industry in terms of responsibility. The award, which is open to designers from around the world, encourages fashion brands to explore new solutions and share forward-thinking ideas that minimise the impact the fashion industry has on the environment.

Leading European online fashion and lifestyle platform Zalando and Copenhagen Fashion Week have announced the finalists for this season’s Zalando Sustainability Award. Ukraine-based TG Botanical, Sweden-based Selam Fessahaye, and Denmark-based STAMM are in contention for the award that will be presented during Copenhagen Fashion Week, from January 31 to Febr

The finalists were selected by an experienced, international jury of thought leaders, including the CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week, Cecilie Thorsmark; sustainability editor of British Vogue, Emily Chan; and sustainability and brand advisor Dio Kurazawa. Representing Zalando on the jury are Laura Coppen, head of circularity, and Lena Sophie Röper, director of designer and luxury.

The jury closely reviewed each applicant’s fundamental approach to sustainability and focused specifically on their use of certified materials, production processes, innovation, transparency, and integration of circular practices.

A focus on materials was a key theme among all finalists this season; designer Tetyana Chumak at TG Botanical opted for natural materials such as linen, hemp and organic cotton. The top highlight from her collection features fur-like material made from hemp. Selam Fessahaye is developing her own textile made from recycled material which she aims to incorporate in her future collections. Elisabet Stamm worked with Indian handspun khadi, a heritage handloom textile mainly made with cotton dyed with either natural indigo or herbs and tree barks.

The three finalists will receive funding for production costs and debut their designs officially at CPHFW and in the Zalando Greenhouse, a digital space where the finalist collections will be streamed.

The jury will make their final decision after each designer showcases their collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week. The winner will be announced on 2 February 2023.

“The Zalando Sustainability Award is an important part of the fabric that makes up Copenhagen Fashion Week. As we enter the fifth season, we are continuously impressed and inspired by the brands who apply. This season is no exception as we have three female finalists with different backgrounds and stories — all with their own unique approach to sustainable product design and fashion. They are a vibrant and dynamic trio weaving the tapestry of the future of design,” said Laura Coppen, head of circularity at Zalando.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)