Asos, an online retailer, is continuing to push its sustainability initiatives with its second circular collection that features more than 40 products made of recycled, renewable, or innovative materials. It also has a trial partnership for clothing resale service Thrift+.
There are 47 pieces in the spring/summer 2022 circular collection. They include menswear, womenswear, unisex clothing, and accessories. Also, there is jewelry made from post-consumer brass waste. Each piece has been specifically designed to appeal to fashion-conscious 20-somethings. They also meet Asos’ circular design criteria. This is based on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s vision of a circular fashion economy.
All products in the collection are safe and recycled or renewable.
Nick Eley, Asos’ head designer, stated that the products are also designed to be reused.
All denim must also meet Asos’ commitment to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign Project. These guidelines include a set that sets an industry standard for circular jeans. They are designed to last, made with 100 percent recycled materials, and have removable buttons that allow for easy recycling.
Eley explained that certain products were created using digital 3D technology. This reduces the need for manufacturing samples during the design process.
Asos expands circular design collection for SS22
Asos’s first circular design collection, September 2020, was a pilot and only a few teams had completed its circular design education program. Asos revealed that all commercial teams within the company were involved in the creation and launch of the new collection. This is a reflection of Asos’ wider rollout of circular education.
This follows the publication of the 112-page Asos Circular Design Handbook, which was created in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion. It is designed to assist Asos’ teams, external designers, and students as well as fashion brands in designing and creating fashion products that support the circular economic model.
Asos’ commercial design director Vanessa Spence said that the fashion industry must be both circular and sustainable in order to have a commercially successful future. We have been working together with experts and partners over the years to find ways to be more circular. This is one of our 2030 Fashion with Integrity goals.
“We are proud to announce the launch of our second circular collection. It uses innovative materials and expands on our circular design criteria. This is a significant moment in our ongoing development of expertise in this field.”
Asos unveils second circular design collection
Asos aims to make pieces that are “young and relatable” for its core 20-something audience with the second circular design collection. Summer pieces include cut-out detail dresses and oversized, color-blocked shirts. They also have tailored pieces and jackets. There is also a printed head scarf and sunglasses. All of the pieces use this season’s main colors, such as lilac, burnt orange, and apple green, along with undyed neutrals, indigo jeans, and retro florals with wavy checkerboard patterns.
Eley said, “We pride ourselves in being able to respond to the latest Instagram trend or red carpet trend and get it in as fast as possible.” These types of items tend to have a short lifecycle so we are very conscious of this collection and look at prints, colors, and shapes that have a lot longer lifespan.
Highlights include adaptable items such as a 3-in-1 knit playsuit, which can be worn either as a dress or as a top and skirt with the buttons down the middle. There is also a 3in1 detachable popper suit in bold floral print, that can be used as a playsuit, shirt, or shorts.
An open-back dress is also available made from 100 percent organic cotton with natural dye. There’s also a reversible cotton shirt with a halftone floral print. A relaxed revere shirt in geo floral has been created to be unisex and can be worn by more people than one.
Asos announces a trial partnership with Thrift+
Asos will be launching its new circular collection and will also be partnering with Thrift+. Customers can request a Thrift+ bag x Asos on its website and then send their unwanted clothes to Thrift+ for sale on its platform. Asos customers will be able to redeem Asos vouchers, donate to charity or purchase second-hand clothing on Thrift+.
Spence said: “Officially, design is only one piece of the circular puzzle. To be truly circular products must go through circular systems and meet our circular design criteria. Although resale is only one of these systems, we are proud to launch a new trial with Thrift+ today to extend the product’s life by making it possible to resell them easily and conveniently.
Asos confirmed that the first phase will include 30,000 bags. Thrift+ will also be collaborating with Asos to collect data about which products are being returned to the fashion retailer to improve its circular strategy.
Joe Metcalfe is the founder of Thrift+. He said that Asos’ efforts towards circularity are being supported by the launch of this trial. It is crucial to make fashion more circular by making it easier for people to return unwanted clothing into circulation. Asos customers now have the Thrift+ service available to them.
“We look forward to measuring the effect of the trial, including the number of items sold and the amount donated to charity; and feeding data about the success of item sale back into future circular product design.”
