CIRCULARITY
The fashion industry needs to shift to a circular model. For NA-KD, that means being smart about the materials and design we use in our products and packaging. And it means prolonging the lifecycle of everything we make through innovative business models, like reselling, upcycling and subscriptions – in close collaboration with our customers.
Industry challenges
It is no secret that the fashion industry has a huge environmental impact, especially in the raw material and fabric and yarn processes, like water usage, waste water, chemicals, soil erosion, and biodiversity impact.
From a global perspective, 80% of all discarded textiles go to landfill or incineration. Only 20% are actually reused or recycled. This needs to change. And we believe that the fashion industry needs to become a circular industry.
To achieve this we have to work together – within the industry, with new innovators and partners, and with our customers.
OUR COMMITMENTS
TOWARDS A CIRCULAR FASHION BUSINESS
We want to prolong the life of our products through new business models and close customer collaboration.
OUR GOALS
- By 2030, have 20% of turnover generated from circular business models
- By 2030, save at least 10,000 tons of CO₂e through circularity initiatives
WHERE WE ARE
- To learn more about our progress, please see our latest Sustainability Report!
KEY ACTIONS
- Continue to develop our second hand business
- Encourage more circular consumer behaviour
- Explore rental/subscription models
- Influencer campaigns for pre-loved / circularity
Designing for circularity
We want to use all resources in the smartest way possible, with a focus on products and packaging.
OUR GOALS
- By 2025, have 100% circular packaging, which means it is made from recycled materials and is reusable, recyclable or compostable
- By 2030, 100% of synthetic and metal materials are from recycled materials
- By 2025, reuse or recycle 100% of packaging materials from all our sites
WHERE WE ARE
- To learn more about our progress, please see our latest Sustainability Report!
KEY ACTIONS
- Material strategy for increased product and material recyclability – develop and implement circular design principles (achieved as part of our Climate Action Roadmap)</a >
- Train internal staff on design for circularity.
- Increase share of recycled and recyclable materials
- Initiatives for upcycling waste – launch collection of upcycled textiles
- Circular packaging strategy.
- Educate customers on circularity.
- Reduce overstock by better predictions and innovative customer collaboration in product development
OUR VALUE CHAIN
We need to think about circularity throughout our entire value chain. At the design stage we need to think about how our products can have a long life, how we can maximise their value and how they can be recycled in the end. We need to work together with other businesses in the fashion industry to increase the share of recycled materials used in products. In addition to this, concepts such as reselling, recycling and upcycling need to be natural components of our business.
CIRCULAR BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
At NA-KD, we are eager to explore and find circular business models that are fit for the future, for our customers and for our business. Because the best thing we can do for the planet is to get more wear out of the clothing we already have.
Our ambition is to have 20% of turnover generated from circular business models by 2030, and save at least 10,000 tons of CO₂e through circularity initiatives. Therefore, we are continuously on a path for new innovative ways to prolong the lifespan of our products.
Here are some of our examples:
NA-KD x Sellpy
In 2023, we launched our collaboration with Sellpy, Sweden's leading platform for second hand items, with the aim of extending the lifespan of our products. For returned and defective items - those that might have a loose button, a small colour stain, or similar imperfections - we collaborate with Sellpy to ensure they find a new home. Instead of letting them go to waste, we're giving them a second chance by making them available for purchase on Sellpy.com.
NA-KD Circle
In 2021, we launched NA-KD Circle - a way for customers to extend the lifespan of their NA-KD products. This was an integrated marketplace where customers could easily sell and buy second hand items on NA-KD.com. In 2023, we disabled this feature as our evaluations showed the solution was not fit for the future. For NA-KD, this was a great learning experience which we bring with us for our next second hand initiatives. Stay tuned!
Hack Your Closet
Between 2020 and 2022 we had a close collaboration with Hack Your Closet, where NA-KD products where part of their rental subscriptions. Unfortunately, Hack Your Closet ceased to exist in 2022 and hence our partnership ended. For us, this was a great way to learn more about customer behaviour when it comes to the rental business model.
TOWARDS A CIRCULAR FASHION INDUSTRY
There are several ways to work towards circularity in the fashion industry. From the materials we use and how we design our products, to picking the right production methods, reusing and recycling materials, and embracing business models with the purpose of prolonging the lifespan of our garments.
MATERIALS
Recycled fabrics and other more sustainable materials have a significantly lower environmental impact than conventional materials. Our goal is to have 100% organic, recycled or other lower impact materials in all our products by 2030. You can read more here.
DESIGN FOR CIRCULARITY
We need to think about the lifetime of the product We need to think about the lifetime of the product when designing garments. Especially how it can be recycled once it cannot be worn anymore. Going forward, our aim is to increasingly integrate design for circularity in our daily work.
PRODUCTION METHODS
There are many ways to decrease the climate and environmental footprint in the supply chain. Read more about how we work with environmental issues in our supply chain, and explore some innovative production methods here .
RECYCLING & UPCYCLING
There are factories that reuse or recycle scrap material. We use that leftover fabric to create limited edition collections or smaller items. Read more here.
NEW BUSINESS MODELS
The best thing we can do for the planet is to prolong the use of the things we already have. That is why we are exploring different circular business models, to find the right fit for the future - for NA-KD and for our customers.
