The Reffstrups took over the small cashmere brand, founded by Frans Truelsen, in 2009. At the time, Ms. Reffstrup was a buyer in Copenhagen and felt hemmed in by the stereotypes of cold androgyny or flower crown-wearing bohemian that defined Scandinavian style. Mr. Reffstrup was a former technical director who raised capital to introduce artificial intelligence software similar to Apple’s Siri Assistant.
Mrs. Reffstrup, who liked to wear Isabel Marant and Adidas, wanted a new way of dressing. Mr. Reffstrup had his technical ideals. “If you have a product that is 3 percent better than the other guy, it will eventually dominate,” he said.
Well-being and the common good are central to Denmark’s socialist society. It’s no coincidence that Copenhagen, home of the Global Fashion Summit, emerged as the core of fashion’s climate awakening. “When I met Nicolaj 18 years ago, he was talking about global warming and climate change,” said Ms Reffstrup. Ganni took on its first responsible manager in 2013 and began mapping its carbon footprint in 2016.
“I thought that was way too late, but looking back now, it feels very progressive,” said Mr. Reffstrup.
Purchasing responsible fabrics has always been part of Ganni’s mission. In the Spring 2022 collection, at least 50 percent of the styles’ composition materials will be made from certified organic, recycled or less impactful fabrics. Next year it plans to be off new leather; the company is testing leather alternatives made from grape skin waste, mushroom-like materials and a cotton alternative made from bananas.
Resale is being tested in the UK and Scandinavian markets, and Ganni’s re-cut collection, designed from deadstock and upcycled materials, is now one of the best-selling products on its website. The company has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2027.
If all this responsibility sounds incredibly ambitious, the Reffstrups say yes and it isn’t.
“A lot of brands or companies hide behind the fact that it sounds complex, esoteric and abstract,” said Mr. Reffstrup. “There are so many things you can do. There is only one problem: it will cost you money.”