How to use colour labels for more inclusivity

As we work towards our strategy to build a pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce, we also want to help our 55M+ customers be confident in their own style. In order to do that, we need to use language that is inclusive for all.

Part of these efforts is making sure our colour labels don’t exclude anyone and are easy to understand. For additional context and further reading on inclusive colour labels, please find the attached file.

Bias refers to an inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair. In this article we will discuss bias in colour labels relative to skin tones and how inclusive language can help people with visual impairments.

Certain colour labels in the fashion industry perpetuate biassed beauty standards that are not representative or welcoming to all of our customers. 

• Nude: Whose version of nude? 

• Tan: Who is the tan relative to? 

• Skin: Whose skin colour are you referring to? 

In short, these terms are not colours because they are all shades relative to paler skin tones. That’s why we don't use terms like these on Zalando (except for Beauty where products can adapt to the users’ own skin tone).

• Apricot

• Beige

• Brown

• Camel

• Copper

• Dark brown

• Light brown

• Light pink

• Off-white

• Sand

• Taupe

Visual impairment is defined as the limitation of actions and functions of the visual system. Our aim is to help improve colour labels for the most common visual impairments:

• Low vision

• Colour deficiency (colour blindness)

Customers with low vision or a colour deficiency are most helped with descriptive colour labels, without any fashionable or multi-interpretable adjectives and terms. Avoid names with obscure adjectives like startling orange, california haze, daytona peach or disco nap. A clear description such as bright red or light blue is the most inclusive. Even better is to include colour codes whenever possible.

For additional context and further reading on inclusive colour labels, please download the attached presentation.