Australia and New Zealand’s leading outdoor brand, Kathmandu, has launched its Autumn/Winter 2022 collection in the UK, Ireland and Europe. As part of international expansion plans, Kathmandu is available for the first time in the UK and across Europe and Canada, both online and at select retailers. The launch in the US will follow later in the year. Further international markets are to follow in 2023 and beyond. The launch will initially focus on e-commerce and wholesale, the B Corp outdoor brand says, but adds that long-term ambitions include opening 10 flagship stores in Canada, the US and Europe. Commenting on the brand’s international launch, Robert Fry, General Manager of Product at Kathmandu, said in a statement: “Kathmandu has been a cult favorite of Australians and Kiwis for decades. We are famous in the ANZ for our innovations in outdoor clothing and equipment, especially in terms of technical design and sustainability.” And adds: “The international outdoor market is highly competitive, but we know that there is a place for Kathmandu there as we dominate in two countries that live for nature.”
Biodegradable: The NXT-Level BioDown jacket
Coinciding with its expansion plans, the brand announced a collaboration with French retailer Leclaireur during Paris Fashion Week. There, Kathmandu presented the current F/W 2022 collection, which included such innovative products as the award-winning, biodegradable NXT-level BioDown jacket.
The jacket is the latest result of Kathmandu’s longstanding commitment to innovation and tackling the problem of growing textile waste. Built to last, it’s made from Nylon 66, one of the most durable materials in textile manufacturing, and filled with traceable Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified down.
Kathmandu also emphasizes that each element of the jacket degrades at different rates in a biologically active landfill without oxygen. ASTM D5511 testing shows that in a bioactive landfill with no oxygen, the outer and lining material will biodegrade 86.6 percent in over 1,050 days (approximately 2.9 years). The zipper and sewing thread biodegradability is 94.4 percent in over 1,677 days (about 4.6 years) and the synthetic filling is 93.8 percent in over 646 days (about 1.8 years). Founded 30 years ago in New Zealand, Kathmandu is an accredited B Corp company that places product innovation and sustainability at the heart of its brand. The first product was the EcoFleece, a fleece fabric made from recycled PET plastic bottles in 1993. The company has also set ambitious ESG targets and aims to increase the proportion of responsible materials in its products through the use of environmentally friendly, climate-friendly materials. Targets include using recycled or recyclable polyester by 2030 and using wool that is 100 percent Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified by 2025.
This translated article first appeared on FashionUnited.uk.