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.
“Our products are not use-and-throw-away items but designed for a long-lasting purpose. This is the greener option. Our designs optimise fabric consumption and are also made of leftover material where possible.”
Gebr. Heinemann was one of the first travel retailers to list DAY ET’s products, which include the best-selling Gweneth bag. The collaboration over the past four years has, according to DAY ET, been particularly successful with Gebr. Heinemann/Travel Retail Norway at Oslo Gardermoen Airport.
Gebr. Heinemann Head of Buying Fashion & Accessories Madline Herr commented: “We are always keen on working with forward-thinking retail partners who share our passion for unique experiences and an exciting product portfolio that brings additional value. And DAY ET does just that with their focus on balancing durability, functionality and sustainability.
“At Gebr. Heinemann, we believe that sustainable products and services will continue to be the drivers of economic growth in travel retail, and it is essential for us to proactively evolve our offering.”
Gebr. Heinemann announced its ambitious sustainability concept, ‘Future friendly: Great for you. Better for the planet’ in November 2021.
In the initial phase, the product focus will be on lines that use sustainable packaging and materials, with promotions online and in the travel retailer’s shops at airports in Berlin, Frankfurt and Hamburg.
Blueprint Partner Jens Bonde-Poulsen said: “Over the past four years DAY ET has successfully built a solid retail footprint in close partnership with leading retailers in travel retail. Now Viking Line’s newest and greenest ships, Grace and Glory – as well as others in the fleet – are listing DAY ET’s accessories starting January 2022.”
“We are confident that DAY ET’s determination to take its recycled products to 100% of its range will ensure it is listed even more widely in the future” – Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen
Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen added: “Viking Line is a great fit for DAY ET and we are grateful for Viking Line’s warm welcome. Like DAY ET, Viking Line is fully committed to CSR, and highly motivated to putting the environment and comfort first.
“We are confident that DAY ET’s determination to take its recycled products to 100% of its range will ensure it is listed even more widely in the future.”
DAY ET noted that its travel retail business is a “strategic priority”. “We are grateful that leading retail partners like Gebr. Heinemann prioritise and welcome sustainable products,” Busch added.
“Gebr. Heinemann has been a great support in developing DAY ET in travel retail. Mutual trust, developed through ongoing sparring and exchanging best practices, has been fundamental to our partnership.”
As reported, DAY ET expanded its boutique at Copenhagen Airport last year, extended its 30sq m free standing store – first opened in 2015 – into a 50sq m unit offering its wide range of bags, hats, scarves and travel accessories.
