Zara Goes Green (And Reports It, Too)

Zara is launching an eco-friendly line.

Zara’s launching an eco-friendly line, its “Join Life” collection, that emphasizes minimalism and more sustainably produced fabrics and fashions.

Zara bills its newest collection as being for the woman who “looks into a more sustainable future” and touts that these clothes are made with organic cotton, recycled wool and other materials designed to reduce environmental impact.

“A fusion of masculine and feminine style which defines clean silhouettes and a colour palette inspired by mineral tones,” Zara says of its newest collection.

But one of the biggest criticisms of the fast fashion trend is that its emphasis on speedy manufacturing is wasteful and environmentally unsustainable.

“Wouldn’t it be a dream if (fast fashion retailers) stood up and said, ‘We are going to do one less delivery this year, we’re putting too many clothes out there, and we’re going to take a profit cut?’” Kathleen Wright, founder of Piece & Co., told Glossy last month. “The race to the bottom in my opinion is very real.”

Zara also reported this week that its operating profit has risen eight percent so far this year to $1.8 billion, beating analysts’ expectations.