Willem Wijnen (Xandres) on doing business properly at RetailDetail Night: “You tidy up at home, don’t you?”

The Belgian fashion brand Xandres has not participated in Black Friday for five years. “We are not addicted to sales,” says CEO Willem Wijnen, “but we want to prove that you can do business responsibly and still grow.”

Doing business the right way

Xandres was one of the first Belgian fashion companies to have its own sustainability manager. Today, sustainability is woven into the fabric of the clothing brand. Yet this is done with the utmost discretion. Even when asked, CEO Willem Wijnen does not make grand statements or political declarations, but simply talks about good stewardship.

“You tidy up at home, so as a company you should also try to be tidy. It can never be 100% perfect, but you can do your best,” emphasizes the CEO, for whom sustainability is a natural part of decent entrepreneurship. At the RetailDetail Night on November 20, he will explain Xandres’ approach during the afternoon program Gamechangers.

Green Friday instead of Black Friday

On Black Friday, for example, Xandres’ stores and webshop will once again remain closed. Instead of offering discounts, the brand is organizing a Green Friday focused on education and repair. “Customers can have their clothes repaired free of charge. This is possible all year round, but on that day we put extra emphasis on it,” explains Wijnen.

Abolishing Black Friday seems commercially risky, but Xandres proves that it works. “We haven’t participated for five years. And look, we are financially healthy. We are growing every year,” says Wijnen. After all, the decision is in line with the brand’s values. “We create timeless collections that last a long time. You can’t suddenly sell everything at a discount in the middle of the season. That undermines the value of your product and encourages overconsumption.”

Bucking the fast-fashion trend

Nevertheless, price sensitivity is a reality. “Everyone is watching their pennies,” acknowledges Wijnen. “But our customers appreciate quality. We are the opposite of fast fashion: Xandres items are not hype items that you wear five times and then throw away. They remain stylish and are of high quality. That’s how you offer real value.”

Wijnen does not want to comment specifically on the rise of ultra-fast and ultra-cheap fashion companies such as Shein, but the principle is clear. “We operate in a different market. Of course, you have to remain alert, but there is definitely room for brands that don’t follow the mainstream. We have been growing for eight years in a row—that proves it works. If you remain true to your values and your customers, you can make progress even in a difficult market.”

Not an eco-prophet, but responsible

Xandres recently received the EcoVadis Gold label again, placing it among the top 5% of most sustainable companies. “This shows that sustainability is embedded in our processes,” says Wijnen.

However, Xandres does not aspire to be a missionary brand. “We are not an eco-brand, we are a company that takes its responsibility seriously and does business properly. We don’t want to moralize or educate people, we just want to show that you can work sustainably and remain profitable. If our example inspires others, that’s a bonus.”

Last chance: quickly order your tickets for the RetailDetail Night tomorrow, 20 November, at the Handelsbeurs in Antwerp. After the preliminary programs, enjoy a seated dinner with a C-level panel discussion, a keynote speech by Tom Palmaerts (Trendwolves), Gino Van Ossel’s annual review, and much more!