Lindex promotes sustainable fashion

Social responsibility is a principle that runs deep within the corporate culture of one of Sweden's leading fashion chains, Lindex. With a deep sense of commitment to the community and to environmental sustainability, Lindex optimised its entire supply chain to make fashion accessible at best-value prices.

Lindex began its journey in the fashion industry in 1954, when it started offering lingerie. With women as its core market, the company later expanded its scope to carry women's and children's wear, and cosmetics.

"We are known for our good quality and good fit. Our success in Sweden is something we can bring to other markets," says Göran Bille, president and CEO.

Lindex continuously updates its style to keep its assortment of products fresh and vibrant. Its purchasing teams travel around the world to observe the latest trends in different cultures and find fashion inspirations for designing modern Lindex pieces such as blouses, skirts, dresses and outerwear.

The Lindex brand stands for more than fashion. It represents respect for the earth's resources.

Lindex started sourcing half a million garments made from organically grown cotton in 2007 to offer more environment-friendly alternatives to its customers. Six years later, Lindex has increased this figure to 9 million garments made from materials such as recycled fibres of polyester, polyamide, cotton and wool.

Extending its sustainability principle beyond clothes, Lindex also ensures that its supply chain operates on the lowest consumption of natural resources. Lindex worked with the Institute for Sustainable Communities' Environment, Health and Safety Academy to implement an energy-saving project for its 17 suppliers in Shanghai.

The project was designed to reduce the factories' operating costs, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Through joint-training seminars, the Chinese suppliers developed energy-saving measures for lighting systems, steam and water leakage, and air conditioning regulation, and improved window insulation and implementation of energy management systems.

"We have sustainability as one of the values of Lindex and that goes into all different aspects of the business. This does not apply only to the environment, but a wider perspective," Bille says.

Lindex also takes an active role in helping the community. As a company for women, Lindex has worked hard to promote their welfare and well-being. From the sales of its successful collaborations with luxury fashion houses Missoni of Italy and Matthew Williamson of Britain, Lindex donated HK$17.8 million to fund breast cancer research and to spread awareness of the disease.

As a company that likes to look at the bigger picture, Lindex aims to grow the brand internationally. It looks to Western and Eastern Europe, and China for its continued development.

Lindex combines the brick-and-mortar and online store business models. The company is using the same strategy in its global expansion, employing a franchising model and an e-commerce platform. To date, Lindex has established stores in 16 different countries and is looking to widen its scope of operations even further, particularly in Asia.

"We have a very good foundation and a very successful history when it comes to expansion. We hope that we can find some partners with the financial strength to help us with our strategy, particularly in e-commerce, as this is a booming segment in China. Our ideal partner is someone who knows the logistics all over China," Bille says.

Lindex also seeks to expand its sourcing network in Asia. The company has sourcing offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

"We are becoming global. With huge developments in the region, Asia has become very important to us, both as a supply and retail market," Bille says.

Lindex
http://www.lindex.com