2 minute read
The Time Was Ripe
In March 2014, Kastner & Öhler opened an independent 70 square metre sales floor for sustainable men’s fashion in its store in Graz. style in progress sat down to chat with chief buyer Christian Adelsberger about the newest concept of one of Austria’s largest fashion retailers.
You created an independent sales floor for sustainable fashion in Graz this spring. What is the idea behind this move?
The time was ripe for it. We had been considering the idea for quite a while, but five to six years ago all the sustainability labels came from the organic corner. They looked accordingly and the quality was often not good enough either. We wanted to ensure that our sales area for sustainable fashion is clearly focused on “fashion”.
Why did you choose men’s fashion?
Andreas Brandl, our men’s fashion buyer, has had a high affinity to the topic for a fairly long time. He was waiting for the labels to reach the necessary level and is personally committed to the project. We work with brands such as Knowledge Cotton Apparel, Armed Angels, Natural World, and Outfitters of Change. In addition, we also stock other labels like Nudie.
Did your customers actively ask for sustainable fashion or are you offering added value?
Both are correct. On a superficial level, it is an add-on project, but the consumer demand has risen sharply over the last few years. However, we are still only talking about two to three percent of the customers. It’s a slender plant that needs to be watered by us, but we do believe it can grow into a little tree. We want to gain experience. For us it is also an image issue and we feel we need to pave the way.
How has the sales area developed since its opening?
It has developed well. The turnover is actually higher than initially predicted.
What are the criteria on which your brand selection is based on?
One of the great difficulties with brands is that the production processes are often quite hard to trace. We considered every aspect for a fairly long time before deciding on labels that we classified as credible. The second aspect is that each label has its own focus. Some work with Fair Trade, while others prefer organic cotton. Our department is called “Fair” and every customer can check the background of the individual labels online.
There is a wealth of certificates out there. Are they important to you?
Of course they are, but it is indeed an obscure jungle. There are so many on the market which makes it difficult to gain an overview - for both the buyer and the consumer alike. From our point of view, the Fair Trade seal and the GOTS label emerged as the most relevant.
Christian Adelsberger has commit- ted himself to promote Kastner & Öhler’s new “Fair” sales floor.
Can you imagine exporting this concept into other branches?
That is definitely a medium term option.
And what about women?
We are working on a version for women and have come up with a smaller sales area concept. The topic is definitely on the agenda for the coming season.
