When Net-a-Porter launched Net Sustain, its sustainability-focused product category in 2019, it started with just 26 brands. Now, it features nearly 200 brands, with more to come in 2025, reflecting the demand for sustainable fashion among its luxury customers.
“It’s about creating a platform that champions brands committed to doing better for the planet and its people,” said Vikki Kavanagh, managing director of Net-a-Porter and Mr. Porter. “As a retailer, the carbon footprint of all our brand partners combined accounts for the vast majority of our scope three emissions.”
Scope three emissions are indirect emissions from a company’s value chain, such as those from suppliers and product use. They often make up the largest portion of a company’s total carbon footprint, and reducing them is crucial for achieving meaningful sustainability. “The contribution of any brand partner in reducing their impact, whether large or small, also helps to collectively lower our own footprint,” said Kavanagh.
By offering these brands the spotlight in a curated environment, Net Sustain has become a popular shopping destination for eco-conscious luxury fashion. NAP declined to share both the sales being driven by Net Sustain and its monthly site visits.
The platform is part of NAP’s sustainability strategy, tied to its Infinity 2030 plan, launched in 2020. The plan focuses on reducing carbon emissions, waste and water usage, and supporting brands with responsible production. The global sustainable fashion market, valued at $7.8 billion in 2023, is projected to grow to $33.05 billion by 2030, according to Coherent Market Insights.
To be featured in the Net Sustain assortment, a brand’s supply chain must meet requirements stated in a Supplier Code of Conduct and pass product-specific assessments that align with internationally recognized sustainability standards. Own NAP items and those featured in the Vanguard edit also feature Digital ID technology, allowing customers to track their purchases’ full lifecycle. Net Sustain features exclusive capsule collections from well-known brands like Stella McCartney and Another Tomorrow.
Brands including Citizens of Humanity, known for its groundbreaking use of regenerative cotton, are leveraging Net Sustain for increased visibility. Citizens of Humanity launched its regenerative cotton program, which it paid $1.5 million to develop, exclusively on Net Sustain in 2022. The cotton is now part of the brand’s seasonal collections. The brand declined to share its revenue and the percentage of sales driven by Net-a-Porter.
“Citizens of Humanity, Agolde and Another Tomorrow have long been featured within our Net Sustain edit, consistently showing up as customer favorites season-after-season,” said Kavanagh. “Their enduring popularity reflects their constant design innovation as well as solid sustainability credentials.”
“Net-a-Porter is one of the leading retailers globally, and its commitment to sustainability gives brands like ours the platform to reach a wider audience,” said Amy Williams, CEO of L.A.-based privately held Citizens of Humanity Group. The Citizens of Humanity Group includes Citizens of Humanity and Agolde, both of which prioritize sustainable practices in their production. “We can see and feel the impact of climate change on our day-to-day lives and know that we must focus on a range of programs to lessen our impact.”
She added, “Customers have more interest and knowledge [nowadays], and support brands that are taking steps to ensure those involved in growing, manufacturing and making products are looked out for. Environmental impact is the responsibility of companies in all industries.”
For comparison, Neiman Marcus’s Fashioned for Change collection, launched in 2021, features almost 300 brands and almost 10,000 products across womenswear and accessories. It also features menswear, kidswear, homeware and beauty. Fashioned for Change allows customers to filter products by attributes including “Sustainable Materials,” “Responsibly Manufactured” and “Pre-Owned,” among others. And before Matchefashion shut down, its Responsible Edit featured over 200 brands.
“By highlighting that this as a key focus for the industry, the NAP team is setting the standard as a leading global retailer,” Williams said. “Given the most recent devastating events in Los Angeles and the clear global weather change, we are deeply committed to doing what we can to lessen our impact.”
In 2023, Net-a-Porter expanded its Vanguard mentorship program launched in 2022. The program helps emerging sustainable brands scale responsibly. Each year, three brands are selected to receive two years of business development support, access to Net-a-Porter’s platform and guidance on scaling responsibly. To be eligible for The Vanguard, brands must be established in sustainability and featured in Net Sustain or Mr Porter’s Consciously Crafted edit.
For multi-brand retailers looking to mirror this success, the takeaway is simple: Give designers the tools, platform and visibility to support their investments in sustainable-focused collections.
Luxury company Mytheresa agreed to acquire Yoox Net-A-Porter from Richemont in October last year, offering Richemont 33% of Mytheresa’s shares and a board seat and assuming YNAP’s $604 million cash balance. Richemont expected to write off about $1.4 billion in net assets upon the deal’s completion in the first quarter of this year.
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