I have always been fascinated by product innovation. I envisioned an app for clothing rentals, resale, and donations well before fashion sustainability gained widespread attention.
In the same way, I thought of self-watering plant pots long before they became available on the market. However, my educational and work responsibilities prevented me from pursuing my ideas.
That concluded when I opted to join a Product Management Fellowship at Nextleap. I became a Top Fellow and was invited to showcase my pitch to industry experts.
My Case Statement:
“Up to 100 billion garments are produced by the fashion industry every year. And each year, as much as 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills. Only 20% of textiles are collected for reuse or recycling globally.”
You are a Product Manager on the Growth Team of Zara. Propose a product solution, assuming you have infinite tech bandwidth. The expectation is to solve this problem as a PM by addressing solutions for the users while being able to generate business value.
My Solution:
My solution explores how Zara can become more sustainable by adding donation and resale features to its app. The fashion industry creates a lot of waste, and while brands like H&M and Myntra have already taken steps toward eco-friendly practices, Zara has the chance to lead in circular fashion, especially in India.
The solution—Zara Smart Donations—lets users donate clothes easily through the app while shopping. They can include donations at checkout and receive discounts in return, making the process simple and rewarding. A survey showed that people are more likely to donate if it’s convenient and offers incentives, so the plan is to first launch the donation feature and later introduce resale. The goal is to reach 80,000 green transactions in the first month, targeting young, eco-conscious shoppers aged 18-34.
To measure success, Zara will track how many people donate through the app, how often donations are included at checkout, and overall sustainability improvements. The app’s design will make the process smooth, and Zara will promote the initiative through its website, media buzz, and fun rewards like sustainability badges. In the future, AI could help sort and resell donated Zara items. This strategy not only improves Zara’s brand image but also meets the rising demand for sustainable fashion, helping the brand stay relevant while increasing customer engagement and sales.
You can play with the UI of my solution here.
