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NU-IN
“SUSTAINABILTY AND SHORT SHELF-LIVES CAN GO TOGETHER” Fashion forward, always sustainable – the Nu-In brand is proof that sustainability is also feasible for a fast-moving fashion collection. In collaboration with Stefanie Griesinger and Marcus Butler, industrial mastermind Mike Mikkelborg conceived the brand as his ultimate masterpiece. Then came COVID-19 – and actually made Nu-In all the more successful. Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold. Photos: Nu-In
It took Nu-In no more than 14 days after the launch – which took place during a worldwide pandemic no less – to surpass the desired sales figures for the launch month. Congratulations! We are so grateful for the phenomenal customer response to our fashion first, affordable, and entirely sustainable business model. Not in my wildest imagination did I think we would meet sales targets when the pandemic and global economic crisis were not even on the radar yet. We spent our first weekends scrambling to restock quickly enough to meet the demand. Our supply base has been phenomenal throughout. Pre-planning with dye/print materials on hand, as well as our dedicated capacities, are putting us to the test. The ability to react to demand has never been more important. Our investments in effective systems, the demand analytics tool Tiyo.app, and a responsive, consumer-focused buying team with retail mentality will allow us to take advantage of this dream scenario even more efficiently. Why did your latest business venture succeed so quickly? It is really quite simple. There are four discounting periods, no more. They are well-planned and short. We have adopted a supply-to-demand strategy that harnesses consumer demand insights and have tied that into a world-class speed-to-market business model. Furthermore, we utilise new technologies such as Sizolution. This sizing app allows us to avoid unnecessary returns, which not only makes our customers happier, but also prevents the devaluation of merchandise. Sustainability is often equated with slow fashion, but Nu-In is as quick as the influencers that promote the brand. Is that not a contradiction? This is, in my opinion, a misconception. Offering new trends with short shelf lives does not create waste as long as supply and demand are balanced in advance. In 2019, more than 1 billion garments were produced, but a shocking 200 million items were never sold. That constitutes a horrible waste and is a completely unnecessary oversupply of goods. If companies adopted demand-driven, speed-to-market strategies, we would only produce what is needed rather than waste. 138
style in progress
Nu-In proves that a fashion forward brand can be sustainable.
Stefanie Griesinger (seated right) and Marcus Butler (seated left) are not merely the faces of the Nu-In brand, but also own the sustainable fashion brand with Mike Mikkelborg (far right).