Press release from Protect the Forest, the Environmental Movement NOAH, ROBIN WOOD, Sáminourra and the Forest Rebellion, Wednesday 28 January 2026
Five environmental and indigenous organizations arranged a symbolic funeral ceremony at Copenhagen Fashion Week and demanded that the main sponsor Zalando cease its trade with companies that destroy Swedish natural and continuity forests and violate the rights of indigenous peoples.
Today, an international demonstration from the environmental organization NOAH (Denmark), Protect the Forest (Sweden), Sáminourra (Sápmi), Skogsupproret (Sweden) and ROBIN WOOD (Germany) was arranged in front of Nikolaj Konsthall in central Copenhagen, in protest against Copenhagen Fashion Week and the e-commerce company Zalando. While a panel discussion organized by Copenhagen Fashion Week and Zalando took place inside Nikolaj Konsthall, the organizations held a funeral ceremony to mourn the loss of valuable natural forest.
People dressed in tree costumes carried a coffin made of cardboard – the kind Zalando uses to ship its products – as a symbol of the dead Swedish natural forests. They demanded that Zalando stop using cardboard and packaging that comes from DS Smith or other companies that buy virgin fiber from the forest company SCA, as well as all other companies that cut down natural and continuity forests with conservation values in Sweden.
Banners with the text “Natural forest – destroyed by Zalando” and “Indigenous peoples’ rights – violated by Zalando” were draped on large inflatable cubes outside Nikolaj Kunsthal. The creative street theatre drew attention to the supply chain from valuable natural forests to disposable cardboard products linked to fast fashion consumption and e-commerce.
The German company Zalando is Europe’s largest e-commerce company for fashion and lifestyle products. In the past, Zalando has been criticized for its dubious sustainability certificates. But they are also involved in the clear-cutting of Swedish natural forests, as the wood from these forests is used, among other things, to produce the packaging in which Zalando delivers its goods. Zalando purchases forest-based products from the global packaging company DS Smith, which is a major customer of the Swedish forest company such as SCA. In April 2025, Zalando announced that it had extended its agreement with DS Smith as its supplier. SCA has long been criticized for felling valuable, natural and continuity forests that are of enormous importance, not only for their role in biodiversity and the fight against climate change, but also as pastures for the reindeer in Sápmi.
“In recent years, we have made Zalando aware that their supplier of paper packaging sources from the controversial Swedish forestry giant SCA, a company that is well known for destroying natural forests and for felling important reindeer pastures without the consent of Sami communities,” says Daniel Rutschman, international campaign manager at Protect the Forest, adding: “This is completely incompatible with their claim to be a role model when it comes to sustainability in the fashion industry.”
“The German company Zalando’s operations are damaging the forests of other countries. Wood is such a valuable raw material that it should no longer be used for the production of single-use items, regardless of whether it comes from Sweden or elsewhere. And the rights of indigenous peoples must be respected. Zalando must finally stop using materials from DS Smith and SCA,” says Jana Ballenthien, Forest Campaign Manager at ROBIN WOOD, Germany.
“We are here to make it clear that it is time for Zalando to stop supporting SCA’s unsustainable and destructive forestry. Zalando needs to critically examine the impact of fast fashion and invest in sustainable materials and products as well as recycling technologies,” concludes Tobias Jespersen, Forest Campaign Manager from NOAH, Friends of the Earth Denmark.
Anne-Saila Åhrén from the Sámi youth organisation Sáminourra says: “Our rights as Sámi include the right to land and culture, based on traditional practices and international standards. The Swedish forest industry that Zalando buys from is not only destroying Sweden’s valuable forests, but also our culture. Our ability to practice traditional reindeer herding is seriously threatened when pastures are fragmented, lichen-rich forests are felled and the landscape is industrialized without living up to the principle of free and informed prior consent.”
Pictures from the action:
Press photos Zalando forestSCAndal
For further information and quotes, please contact:
Daniel Rutschman, International Campaign Manager, Protect the Forest (Sweden) on phone number +46 (0)76-112 88 26 or e-mail: daniel.rutschman@skyddaskogen.se
Anne-Saila Åhrén, board member of Sáminourra: Tel: +46 (0)76-788 20 05 , e-mail: annesaila@saminuorra.org
| The organizations demand that Zalando stop purchasing forest products that originate from SCA and other forest companies that harvest forests worthy of protection in Sweden until the following requirements are met: 1. An immediate halt to felling has been introduced in all continuity forests and other forests with conservation values. 2. The rights of indigenous peoples and the demands of the Sámi reindeer herding are respected. This includes adhering to the principles of free, prior consent and informed consent (FPIC). 3. The planting of the non-native tree species lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) has ceased and the decommissioning of existing lodgepole pine plantations has begun. Lodgepole pine disadvantages biodiversity in the Swedish forest landscape and creates areas that are unusable for reindeer herding. |
More links:
The Petition: STOP THE SWEDISH FOREST SCANDAL
Report from Protect the Forest: SCA-FILES
