All KappAhl denim is now more sustainable
The focus at KappAhl is on the sustainable wardrobe. With the launch of its autumn collections, the fashion chain achieved the key milestone of manufacturing 100 percent of its denim range in more sustainable fabrics and using more sustainable production processes.
As of this autumn, all of KappAhl’s denim clothes will be made of more sustainable fabrics using production processes that require significantly less water, energy and chemicals. KappAhl will then have achieved the key milestone of producing all of its denim fashions in more sustainable fabrics and using more sustainable manufacturing processes by 2020.
“It feels fantastic to know that we are meeting the high bar that we’ve set for KappAhl and that our Responsible Fashion sustainability strategy really is making a difference. Making the production of denim more sustainable will lead to significant resource savings and is a cornerstone to building a more sustainable wardrobe,” says KappAhl’s Head of Sustainability, Fredrika Klarén.
Ensuring that all the cotton KappAhl uses is more sustainably sourced is another milestone the company has set for 2020. This issue is high priority for the fashion chain since cotton is one of the most important raw materials. Cotton is popular and in great demand. However, its production is highly consumptive of water, fertilisers and pesticides, and intensive farming depletes the soil and poses health risks to the growers. It is essential to switch to organic farming or other more sustainable practices in order to tackle these issues.
“KappAhl has long been implementing a proactive sustainability programme and two of our key focus areas are to reduce the negative impact of garments during their production and to design products that contribute to a more sustainable wardrobe. Our customers should feel confident that we accept and take responsibility, and a major and key step in this process is that KappAhl is able to offer a more sustainable denim range,” Fredrika Klarén explains.
What does more sustainable denim at KappAhl mean?
More sustainable denim is part of KappAhl’s long-term Responsible Fashion strategy, which is based on having a completely sustainable product range. The products are manufactured using more sustainable materials and production processes. This combination will lead to massive savings of water, energy and chemicals.
Choice of material
The cotton used in KappAhl’s denim today is more sustainable – more sustainably grown in line with the BCI’s principles or organically grown. Moreover, half the water, 30 percent less energy and far fewer chemicals are used in the washing processes compared with conventional denim.
Choice of process in the factory
KappAhl works closely with its suppliers at the factories that produce more sustainable denim to minimise the use of water, chemicals and energy during the washing and finishing stages. The fashion chain uses the Environmental Impact Measuring (EIM) tool, based on a new technology developed by Jeanologia, to achieve and measure improvements.
For further information
Fredrika Klarén, Head of Sustainability. Tel 46 704 715 558, fredrika.klaren@kappahl.com
Charlotte Högberg, Head of Corporate Communciations. Tel. 46 704 715 631, charlotte.hogberg@kappahl.com
KappAhl is committed to offering Responsible Fashion that feels right for those wearing the clothes and for the world we live in. Today, 57% of our products are labelled as sustainable. Our goal is for 100% of our range to be made of more sustainable materials by 2025. Key efforts to contribute to the creation of a circular fashion industry are ongoing across all areas of our business. For further information, please visit kappahl.se/hallbarhet.
KappAhl was founded in 1953 in Gothenburg and is a leading fashion chain in the Nordic region, with 380 KappAhl and Newbie stores in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and the UK, together with Shop Online. KappAhl’s business concept is to offer its own line of affordable fashion to a wide range of consumers.
In 2017/2018, turnover was SEK 4.8 billion, with approx. 4,000 employees in ten countries. KappAhl’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange. For further information, please visit www.kappahl.com.
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