Sustainability at Zilton
Zilton makes trousers for men of the world. Right from the start, the emphasis has always been on premium quality, a unique style and precision craftsmanship for the perfect fit. That has made Zilton the foremost men’s trouser specialist for more than 25 years.
We are striving to produce our trousers even more sustainably, with the focus on three fronts: a short supply chain, the optimum means of transport and sustainable materials. Respect for both the environment and humanity plays a role in this and that in turn contributes to Zilton’s characteristic quality.
Make the supply chain more sustainable.
Zilton works with a select number of ateliers, which are located close to Europe. Three partners are responsible for the production of the entire Zilton collection and their ateliers are located in Türkiye and Tunisia.
We also prefer partners closer to home for raw materials: 100% of the material for the 2024 Spring-Summer Collection comes from European producers and most of that comes from Italy. This country is known for its craftsmanship and innovation in the area of premium fabrics with a lower impact on the environment.
The close proximity of our partners means that transport is optimised and kept to a minimum. Fabrics are sent direct to the production partners from the suppliers. It reduces the kilometres that your Zilton trousers have to travel.
Optimization of the means of transport is a focal point. We have forsworn plastic hangers. Trousers are laid out and not hung up when they are transported. These initiatives reduce the transport volume and the accompanying CO2 emissions, because fewer lorries are needed.
For quality consignments we pack each pair of trousers in its own LDPE 4 bag. These bags contain the organic additive Eco-pure, which increases the biodegradability of the plastic. The bags are returned to the production studios for reuse.
Strong supplier connections.
We are building long-term collaborative relationships with each of our production partners. We have been working closely with the ateliers in Tunisia for more than 10 years now.
We have also been building durable relationships with our fabric suppliers. In one case, the relationship is 23 years old. Our long-term collaborations and partnerships allow us to maintain our high quality, because every millimetre counts in a perfect fit from Zilton.
Code of conduct.
Our partners sign our code of conduct for corporate social responsibility. It includes subjects related to decent work, such as freedom of labour and association, adequate earnings, respecting working times, anti-discrimination and a ban on child labour. Requirements in the area of traceability, health and safety of the products and responsibility for the environment are also included in the code.
More sustainable materials.
This season, 54% of the Zilton designs consist of a minimum of 30% certified more sustainable materials. The more sustainable materials in Zilton men’s trousers integrate highly technological innovations and authentic craftsmanship.
As well as the organic cotton with which people are familiar, we are also working with new, more sustainable variants of viscose and lyocell for our collection, materials that are made from wood pulp from sustainably managed forests in Europe.
Premium materials are essential for men’s trousers from Zilton. The quality of the materials expresses itself in the high degree of comfort and the because it is soft to the touch. A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the sustainability of the fabrics in our collections.
We care about waste.
At the start of the new season, the design team is given a summary of hardware surpluses, like buttons and zips, and fabric surpluses, to be used in the new collection.
All about a long lifespan.
Zilton trousers are created for men on the move. They have to be able to withstand an active lifestyle. We invest in a long life for our trousers on various fronts. As well as quality materials and impeccable craftmanship, our extensive wear tests are essential for the long life of our trousers.
The fact that our Zilton designs have a timeless look is a nice extra. Successful jeans models or chino fits remain in the collection each season, like the Rodger, the Roy, the Sydney and the Magnus. They become Zilton icons, timeless and contemporary at the same time.