Moodie Davitt: Fashion brand DAY ET steps up sustainability drive with leading retailers

Independent Danish fashion accessories brand DAY ET has stepped up its sustainability drive in travel retail through collaborations with Gebr. Heinemann, Scandlines, DFDS, Color Line, Viking Line and Copenhagen Airport.

DAY ET highlighted key steps taken since 2018 to reduce its carbon footprint and limit resource wastage. It cited data from M1nd-set research consultancy, which suggests that travelling consumers are increasingly turning towards greener, more ethical products.

The brand’s collections feature fabrics made from recycled plastic and recycled materials which use -90% less water, helping to reduce CO2 emissions. Recycled linings are made from an estimated nine 500ml bottles per yard while recycled main fabrics incorporate about 29 500ml bottles per yard.

According to DAY ET, 33% of the brand’s bags were made from recycled fabrics in 2020. By the end of 2022, that figure is expected to exceed 70%, with plans to hit 100% by December 2023.

“By then, the company aims to fully certify its own products and its entire value chain through the adoption, this year, of the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification,” Day ET said in a statement. The GRS certification sets requirements related to recycled content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices and chemical restrictions.

CEO Therese Niko Busch said: “Our aim has always been to create products for a life on the move.

“Our mission is to leave the smallest footprint on the earth by rethinking our designs; looking at how to recycle what we use and to emphasise reloving what we already have. It all adds up to a brighter future.”

This approach has led to product ranges that, according to Busch, balance durability, functionality and sustainability.