Allbirds and Ganni join Global Fashion Agenda as associate partners

Sustainable footwear brand Allbirds and Danish ready-to-wear label Ganni have been announced as associate partners for the Global Fashion Agenda, the international forum for industry collaboration on sustainability in fashion. They’re joining G-Star Raw, Crystal International, Erdos Group, Everlane and Selfridges Group in offering feedback and input about the organization’s initiatives, content and policy.

Global Fashion Agenda’s associate partners are handpicked companies which the organization perceives as being dedicated to improving their sustainability performance. “Bringing sustainable shoe brand Allbirds and fashion forward Ganni on board will expand and diversify our Associate Partners circle”, said Global Fashion Agenda’s CEO and President Eva Kruse in a statement.

Launched in 2016 by former soccer player Tim Brown and industrial engineer Joey Zwillinger, Allbirds uses materials like merino wool, Tencel Lyocell, recycled PET bottles, recycled cardboard and sugarcane to make its shoes. Having raised more than 77 million US dollars so far, the company is reportedly valued at 1.4 billion US dollars.

"We’re proud to join Global Fashion Agenda to work closely with like-minded brands who also believe that we must collaborate around sustainability rather than compete”, said Brown and Zwillinger in the statement.

Ganni was founded 19 years ago in Copenhagen as a cashmere brand. The company currently operates 21 stores across Scandinavia, as well as selling its products via a network of nearly 400 retailers worldwide. On its website, Ganni says it has been tracking its carbon footprint since 2016 by “looking at the whole value chain, from production, clothing manufacturers and transportation to distribution and packaging”. The Danish label is also a signatory of the UN Charter for Climate Action, which aims to reduce greenhouse emissions by the fashion industry by 30 percent by 2030.

“We believe that sustainability is rapidly becoming a prerequisite for doing business in the fashion industry but also a moral obligation. As with any other moral matter, we all need help and guidance to get there. Partnering with Global Fashion Agenda gives us access to knowledge and offers opportunities to collaborate with like-minded players in the industry, as well as nudges us in the right direction on a daily basis”, commented Ganni’s founder Nicolaj Reffstrup, also quoted in the statement.