How does a denim factory win at the world's largest festival of creative marketing? In July 2022, Sourcing Journal looked back at how Azgard9 collected three Cannes Lions accolades for CO2AT, its oxygen-producing garment.
The story starts in 2020. Azgard9 brought in the Portuguese creative agency This is Pacifica and the strategic agency SaTG to lead a repositioning around eco-friendly products and solutions. They landed on two concepts: Future Before Fashion and Mainstreaming Sustainability. With Post Carbon Lab in London, the mill then treated 200 CO2ATs with microbial pigmentation, so that each garment behaves like a plant, taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. The garments were sent to Azgard9's clients and to media as a piece from a Fall/Winter 2043 collection.
"The idea behind this project was to bring a different way to look to sustainability," said Bernardo Lago Cruz, Azgard9 business development manager. "Nowadays sustainability is linked to restriction on consumption, [but] we wanted to show to the brands that we could bring a new concept that uses nature with fashion and textiles."
The results were three accolades: a Gold Lion in Design for Promotional Item Design, a Bronze in Design for Lifestyle, Fashion, Leisure, Sport & Outdoor, and a Bronze in Creative for Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility, plus a shortlist in Creative B2B. Lago Cruz said the awards confirmed the project had done what it set out to do: link Azgard9 to innovation and improve the world's view of Pakistan. "We want to show to the world that a Pakistan denim factory won one of the most prestigious awards in design and innovation, beating brands such as Google, Coca-Cola and Mastercard," he said. "This example should empower other companies in Pakistan to excel."
Key facts
- AccoladesGold Lion (Promotional Item Design); Bronze (Lifestyle, Fashion, Leisure, Sport & Outdoor); Bronze (Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility)
- ShortlistCreative B2B
- AgenciesThis is Pacifica (creative) and SaTG (strategy), engaged in 2020
- Science partnerPost Carbon Lab, London
- Units200 CO2ATs, sent to clients and media
From Lahore to Cannes, CO2AT shows how Azgard9 turns Future Before Fashion into ideas that brand partners and the wider industry notice.
