At ZANKOV as part of our core values, we see quality and great design as one of the most crucial currencies of sustainability. We put quality and design at the forefront to express to the consumer and industry that living with better products, that last longer by virtue of their design creates a cultural consumer reset toward needing ‘less’ and that this is an ultimate goal of sustainability, or moreover, responsibility.

Practically speaking, we have implemented the following methods/practices that we intend to develop even more as our brand expands:

Responsible Sourcing 
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We work only with small family-owned mills and suppliers, known to us directly, which helps to support businesses that have been passed on from generation to generation.  Some have recently been vulnerable to closures due to global supply chain challenges as well as the pandemic.  Our vendors and suppliers show full transparency, and we employ as many materials as possible that are certified responsibly sourced and produced. Currently we are introducing and working with organic materials such as organic cotton and as well as recycled yarns and responsibly sourced wool.

Most of our suppliers have strict procedures as well as certifications to demonstrate their responsible methods and practices which are their passion:

EcoVero, certifies the origin of products from green sources, CID (Consorzio Italiano Implementazione Detox), monitors the elimination of toxins from the environment which is caused by the fashion supply chain. RWS (Responsible Wool Standard), which monitors and meets animal welfare and sustainable land management requirements.

90-95% of our Merino wool is non-mulesed

Waste and Resource Elimination and Preservation
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We have created a new system where we eliminate an extra step in the prototyping/development process. We develop stitches and materials as well as dye our yarn/fibers right in the beginning of the season, this allows us to develop samples which are already executed in our nominated colors, yarns, and gauges, bypassing most of the time the prototype stage which reduces a significant amount of waste.

Currently all of the paper we use for brand communication, the hangtags and labels are made from recycled materials. Our shipping bags which store our sweaters are all made to be biodegradable. These bags are meant to be used to store the consumers own sweaters as well as used/re-used in a multitude of ways.