A fashion show with no new fashion pieces – does that even work? The short answer is: yes. At this year's Copenhagen Fashion Week, Perwoll hosted a show exclusively featuring second-hand pieces. 15 content creators took to the catwalk, showcasing stylish new looks with used clothing in front of 200 fellow content creators and press contacts from all over Europe. “It was the first time we attended Copenhagen Fashion Week as a brand and it was fantastic.” The enthusiasm is unmistakable when Jan Kruse, Global Marketing Director Fabric Care at Henkel, describes the cooperation between Perwoll and the Copenhagen Fashion Week, that is known for its strong focus on sustainability.
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“It doesn’t always have to be new”
In this story, you will learn:
Perwoll at the Copenhagen Fashion Week
“In preparation for the show, the content creators sent us a piece of clothing along with its personal story. Each item was then washed with Perwoll to make it look as good as new again,” says Jan. The entire show was a statement against waste and over-consumption in the fashion industry. The message: thanks to Perwoll's unique formulation and technology, there’s no need to always buy new clothes.
Our mission is to encourage our consumers to take a conscious approach to fashion and to help them enjoy their clothes for as long as possible.
Jan Kruse, Global Category Director Fabric Care for Henkel Consumer Brands
With the right care, we can extend the life of our clothes, and even second-hand pieces can still look as good as new. As the Copenhagen Fashion Week strives to encourage significant sustainable change in the fashion industry, so too is Perwoll contributing to promoting slow fashion and inspiring new ways of thinking. In line with that approach, Perwoll has launched the #RethinkNew and #RethinkFashion initiatives. “Our mission is to encourage our consumers to take a conscious approach to fashion and to help them enjoy their clothes for as long as possible,” emphasizes Jan.
A look behind the innovation: The Triple Renew Technology
The experts behind Perwoll work every day to further develop the detergent’s technology to keep clothes like new for longer through an innovative combination of different enzymes. Perwoll has long ceased to stand only for the treatment of wool, but also for textiles of all types and colors.
Perwoll's Triple Renew Technology shows a visible difference after just 10 washes, bringing that 'just-like-new' feeling to garments.
The brand’s Triple Renew Technology smoothes fibers, brings back the brightness of the colors and ensures the detergent’s fragrance can be fully experienced by the consumers. “Of course, it doesn't just take one wash to make our clothes look like new again,” explains product developer Dr. Nuria Sanchez. “But by consistently washing with Perwoll, we can restore and bring back the radiance of our clothes. Thanks to our new patent pending formula and the Triple Renew Technology, the full renew effect is now achieved after already ten washes,” says Nuria. Previous formulas needed twice as many washes. When explaining how the technology works, Nuria uses an illustrative example: “Older garments tend to look dull and faded over time due to being worn and washed frequently. The reason is the appearance of small pilling clusters on the surface of the textiles. Perwoll's improved enzymatic technology is able to specifically remove these pilling clusters. You can imagine it like a Pac-Man running over the textiles, eating up the pilling and smoothing out the damaged fibers.”
Perwoll's improved enzymatic technology is able to specifically remove these pilling clusters. You can imagine it like a Pac-Man running over the textiles, eating up the pilling and smoothing out the damaged fibers.
Nuria Sanchez, R&D Manager Fabric Care Detergents for Henkel Consumer Brands
Our new exclusive enzyme ensures even brighter colors: “It’s able to remove biosoil, allowing the dirt attached to it to be washed out, thus bringing out the best of colors,” says the product developer. This also ensures more freshness: “By removing biosoil, the source of malodor is eliminated – allowing the fragrance to fully unfold.”
How Perwoll is responding to changing consumer needs
K-pop superstar Shinee Key is a brand ambassador for Perwoll as it was launched in South Korea.
“The Triple Renew Technology is a true game-changer,” emphasizes Jan. “But we are also changing the way we market our products. At Perwoll, our focus is on consumers and their love for fashion.” And that is a global theme: Perwoll is available in over 30 countries under various names, and, as of recently, also in South Korea – with a man as brand ambassador to help challenge traditional gender roles. “Shinee Key is a K-pop superstar and very fashion-conscious,” says Jan. The latest news: the launch in the UK and Ireland, under the iconic British brand Dylon, renowned for its expertise in color since 1946. “That's one of the most appealing aspects of my job: the internationality of it and all the various markets.”
When it comes to product packaging, circularity is a key factor. While the iconic bottle has visually changed very little over the years, the body of the bottle is recyclable and the proportion of recycled plastic has been continuously increased, reaching 50 percent.
Raising awareness of sustainable fashion together with strong partners
To drive meaningful change towards a more sustainable fashion industry, strong partnerships are essential. “We have been cooperating with one of Europe's biggest second-hand online stores Sellpy since July 2024,” says Jan. “Sellpy is active in 24 countries, and as part of the partnership we are launching various initiatives, such as the one in Copenhagen. With a joint online campaign, we aim to show that feeling good and confident in your clothes doesn't have to be linked to a new purchase.” The common goal: prolonging the lifecycle and value of garments.
Another important partner is the NGO Remake, which fights against fast fashion and for human rights and climate justice in the fashion industry. Together with Remake, Perwoll hopes to encourage more people to pull their cherished items out of their closets more often. Remake and Perwoll have initiated the global #NoNewClothes challenge, also presented at the Copenhagen Fashion Week. It encourages people to refrain from buying new clothes for three months. “I took part in the challenge myself,” says Jan Kruse. “And I only purchased two items in that time, but from Sellpy, of course, because second-hand is allowed.”
With a product that is constantly evolving in innovative ways, such as through new technology, more sustainable packaging, and creative collaborations, Perwoll is continually expanding its scope in helping to create a viable future – today and for generations to come. A mission that is also firmly embedded in Henkel's purpose, bringing the company’s pioneering spirit to life. It's no surprise that Jan uses Perwoll himself – and does so with conviction. “At one of my first Henkel meetings, the R&D team showed me before and after pictures of items washed with the detergent. I found that very impressive.” The marketing director is certain that he heard the phrase “Is that new?” in different languages more than once at the Copenhagen Fashion Show. And – of course – the answer was always: “No, washed with Perwoll.”
INNOVATION
UNDERSTANDING CHANGE, SHAPING THE FUTURE
Every innovation starts with an extraordinary idea. But an idea is only the first step. A leap forward in innovation requires more. It takes an idea that excites – the market, consumers, or our customers. The key to sustainable growth and prosperity are innovative products and technologies that address challenges, bring about change and achieve visions.
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