Circular Talk with Robin Gnehm from Nikin
«It's not just about trees; it's about creating awareness of ecological responsibility as a brand and inspiring people to live sustainably.»
One tree at a time towards a circular economy: Robin Gnehm has planted more than 2 millions of trees with his Swiss fashion brand Nikin – but that was just the beginning. In the Circular Talk by CLIMATEX, the co-founder explains how the idea of two nature lovers has turned into one of the most sustainable fashion brands in Switzerland and which projects in the field of circular economy and recycling are currently keeping him busy.
CLIMATEX: Nikin has planted over 2,366,241 million trees to date. Could you have ever dreamed of such a number?
Robin Gnehm: No, not at all. When we started it was a small project with no big expectations. I was already over the moon when sold our first 20 caps. Everything that followed was just incredible! So sometimes it's important to look back and realize what we've achieved.
How did you come up with the idea for Nikin?
My business partner Nicholas Hänny – a creative mind and true entrepreneur – and I grew up together and had an early plan to create something together. When Nicholas invited me to our first meeting to discuss the Nikin idea, I had just returned from Canada. Inspired by nature, I wanted to do something with trees and forests – I even had a logo of a fir tree in my head. So, over a beer, we came up with the idea of making products that we would each plant a tree to sell. It was important to us to give something back to nature, and planting trees was an innovative idea that no one had done before.
«Our mission is to clearly communicate the benefits of circular products so that everyone understands why these products may be slightly more expensive, but have a much greater impact in the long term.»
Robin Gnehm, Co-Founder of Nikin
You also did many other things differently.
That is true. We certainly did a lot of things right at the right time. For example, we focused on e-commerce from the very beginning, and we operated our own online store, rather than going into the brick-and-mortar retail business. Instead, we went directly to consumers and told them our story. People loved that, and that's how we grew. Lacking experience in the textile industry, we decided to start with the simplest product: a winter cap. The response was incredible. Everyone loved the idea of planting a tree and wanted a one.
Who plants all those trees for you?
The One Tree Planted organization. For every dollar donated, a tree is planted in various projects around the world. We have already planted over 2 million trees, but for us the symbolic value is even more important. It's not just about the trees, it's about creating awareness of sustainability as a brand and inspiring people to live sustainably.
How has your green awareness evolved?
To be honest, sustainability wasn't a priority in the beginning. We just thought it was cool to plant trees because we are nature lovers. At some point, however, a customer wrote to us and said that planting trees was a nice idea, but that our products were in contrast because they were not sustainable at all and were manufactured in Asia. At the time, we had no idea what it meant to be truly sustainable. But we started thinking about it.
“First, we had to define what sustainability means to us. We quickly realized that becoming more sustainable is a process that cannot happen overnight.”
What exactly did you do?
First, we had to define what sustainability meant to us. We quickly realized that "becoming more sustainable" is a process that does not happen overnight. We had to learn a lot, and we couldn't do everything at first because we simply didn't have the resources. But we made the right decisions because we knew that brands that present themselves as sustainable will be scrutinized. Today, we are perceived as one of the most sustainable brands in Switzerland, so it was worth it.
The two nature lovers and founders of Nikin, Nicholas Hänny and Robin Gnehm. They plant trees and spend time with their team where they like to be: out in nature.
How has your sustainability strategy evolved?
Due to the ongoing evolution of the subject, we too have gone through many phases. It is a permanent process in which not only we, but the whole industry, is constantly learning and adapting to new knowledge. Today, our production is mainly located in Europe, with a focus on Portugal and Lithuania. The only exceptions are the double-walled metal bottles, which come from China because there are no manufacturers in Europe. Transparency in the supply chain is and remains a key concern for us, which is why we work with platforms such as Retraced to make the origin of materials visible.
Where do you stand today?
Today, the focus is on the circular economy. It is about making best use of the resources we have and minimizing waste. We are strongly committed to driving this change. Our goal is to achieve 100% circular production by 2030. In the coming years, the industry will be faced with various legislative regulations and we believe that clear guidelines will help drive progress. Although Nikin, as a small brand, is not yet directly affected by many of these regulations, we are proactively preparing for future legal requirements.
Can you give us a glimpse into some of your most exciting projects?
We are actively pursuing various initiatives focused on recycling and the circular economy. One example is our participation in the TexCircle project at Lucerne University, where we are promoting yarn recycling and developing new products from these materials. Additionally, we are collaborating with Ochsner Shoes to create circular footwear. It is vital for us to have the support of large companies like Ochsner Sport in advancing sustainable development.
We're also excited about our project with OceanSafe to develop a Cradle to Cradle Gold-certified T-shirt that is fully compostable and can be recycled endlessly. At the end of its life cycle, the T-shirt can either biodegrade completely or be reintegrated into the production cycle. For us, circular design is essential: we focus on creating products from the outset to ensure they can be reused or recycled at the end of their lifecycle.
“For us, circular design is key: designing products from the outset so they can be reused or recycled at the end of their lifecycle.”
How do you ensure that your customers return products correctly and you can recycle them?
Part of our Cradle to Cradle certification is a take-back process. This November, we are testing a new, innovative business model by turning our customers into material suppliers and buying back materials. In exchange for cash. The longer the products are used, the more we pay for them. After all, we want the products to be worn as long as possible. Thanks to an attached QR code, our customers know how and where to return the product. We collect the returned material and send it to our recycling partners, who put it back into the loop.
What is your biggest challenge when introducing circular products?
To make the technology behind product design as simple and understandable as possible. The fashion industry is very complex and many consumers are not aware of the impact of their behavior. Our job is to clearly communicate the benefits of circular products so that everyone understands why these products may cost a little more, but have a much greater impact in the long run.
The fir tree is the trademark and distinguishing feature of the Lenzburg-based company. It can be found on all of the long-lasting basics for which Nikin has become known. The milestone of one million trees planted has been reached in 2021.
How does your sustainability strategy affect your pricing?
The more sustainable we become, the more prices adjust. Ecological responsibility often means higher - or simply more realistic - development and material costs. However, we believe that our prices for European production with sustainable materials are very fair for the end customer. Our sales model is D2C (Direct-to-Consumer), which means that we do not lose additional margins through intermediaries. This allows us to offer our products at a lower price.
Where is Nikin headed in the future?
Now it's time for Nikin 2.0, with the goal of developing and refining our brand. We want to remain a good basic brand that designs timeless, sustainable and durable clothing for everyone – with a long-term positive effect on nature.