The Notion of the Green Store

THE NOTION OF THE GREEN STORE

Eco fashion stores used to suffer a lingering odour of old linen, oriental incense sticks, and unshaven armpits. This was reflected in the ambience accordingly. But then came the hype – and with it a new generation of concepts, each embodying the sustainability topic in its own way. One store, for example, has printed its interior furnishings on a 3D printer using recycling plastic fished out of the ocean. The circular economy boasts ever new, innovative ideas that upcycle and sustainably combine reusable materials. The price isn’t a threshold, because they’re all at it: from high fashion brands to small, owner-managed concepts.

Text: Isabel Faiss. Photos: Stores

Cameron Saul and Oliver Wayman have redefined luxury. On the back of an interdisciplinary collaboration, Bottletop has proven how much sustainability is possible today.

Industrial design meets contem- porary art. The Bottletop store on London’s Regent Street heralds a new approach in store design. All walls, the ceiling, and furnishings were created by 3D printers.

Bottletop, London Upcycling at High Fashion Level

British design brand Bottletop, which emerged in 2002 from a cooperation with Mulberry in England, manufactures handbags for the luxury sector. They are made of leather scraps, production waste, ecologically certified leather, and collected bottle caps. Bottletop has thus become the first brand in the high fashion accessories segment to make upcycling socially acceptable. Each bag boasts certified leather sourced from agricultural programmes such as the Novo Campo, which is incidentally also committed to protecting the Brazilian rainforest. Furthermore, each model features metal bottle caps, collected in Brazil and processed by local craftsmen. The hourly wage is around 45 percent higher than the average in the respective country of production. Bottletop is therefore not only committed to ecological products, but also shoulders social responsibility. Part of the sales proceeds are passed on to the Bottletop Foundation, which supports health programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Brazil, and England.

3D Design from Recycled Ocean Plastic Waste

Bottletop opened its first brand store on London’s Regent Street in 2017. It was to be the first “zero waste” store worldwide. The launch was a two-month mega event, as the store was (quite literally) printed in front of a live audience by giant “Kuka liwa” 3D printing robots. The ingenious coup was developed in collaboration with Krause Architects and London-based AI Build. The latter harnessed artificial intelligence to teach the large-format 3D printing technology how to create complex designs without wasting precious materials. Kuka’s printers were fed with sustainably extracted filament supplied by Reflow, a start-up that specialises in reclaiming plastic waste from the ocean. Printer projections still decorate the walls of the store to this day.

“This is so exciting for us, as our customers can watch the transformation of the store from a clean exhibition space into an upcycled ecosystem. The store offers an inspiring, immersive experience that blends future-facing ecological conscience with time-honoured craftwork.” Oliver Wayman, Co-Founder of Bottletop at the store launch in 2017

MA5’s digital changing rooms feature rice straw mat floors, while the walls are panelled with indigenous wood.

NikeLab, Shanghai, Tokyo Prestige Project with Innovative Spirit

NikeLab is Nike’s innovation studio, a kind of super exclusive shop-in-shop concept in which the brand showcases its ambition to push the boundaries of what’s possible with each product. It is, however, also a stage for extraordinary collaborations with artists, new digital solutions, and – last but not least – the presentation of the newest findings in the field of sustainability. Together with Arthur Huang and Jarvis Liu of the Miniwiz design studio, which has offices in Taipei, Singapore, Beijing and Milan, Nike created a total of nine NikeLab concepts all around the globe in 2015. In the same year, Miniwiz received an award from the World Economic Forum for its out

With its NikeLab X158 in Shanghai, Nike pushed the boundaries of store design. Among other materials, it features new composites such as eco-polyurethane made of recycled sneakers (and other Nike products) in its ceiling.

standing business model. The studio’s “Trashlab” aims to create innovative product designs and futuristic architectural concepts by recycling and upcycling reusables and production waste, thus demonstrating what is already possible and at which prices.

Rice x Motherboard

Nike’s briefing to Miniwiz was to use as many production material scraps as possible and to recycle old brand products. For the interior of the NikeLabs, Miniwiz relied on modular, lightweight, and flexible elements and installations. Many materials had never been used for interior design purposes before. Among them were self-developed recycled compounds such as Ricefold, a polymer reinforced with rice nanosilicic acid. Then there was ReGrind, a non-toxic, odourless eco-polyurethane as a composite of discarded and recycled Nike sneakers. The NikeLabs also feature various other materials made of, for example, electronic waste such as motherboards and PC casings, as well as discarded CDs and plastic bottles.

“We are obsessed with realising the circular economy in daily consumption. We promote the widespread introduction of a recycling system that allows us to use all materials over and over again, without waste. The most important factor for achieving this goal is our ability to demonstrate the financial viability of environmentally friendly technologies that – more often than not – have to compete with more traditional, far less sustainable technologies.” Arthur Huang, CEO of Miniwiz

The seventh NikeLab – dubbed MA5 – was launched in Tokyo in December 2016. The Mini- wiz design team focused on combining nature with new technologies. The flooring is made of Nike ReGrind, a rubber compound containing recycled Nike sneakers.

Adidas showcases its international innovations and collaborations on the subject of sustainability in its Paris flagship store.

Adidas, Paris Flagship Store as Innovation Platform

Adidas regularly showcases the latest ideas from current collaborations in its flagship store on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. There is, for example, ample space for the presentation of Adidas’ cooperation with Parley for the Ocean. The brand and the NGO have developed product innovations such as running shoes with a midsole made of marine plastic using 3D printing technology. This retail space dates back to the World Climate Conference of 2015 and was meant to set an example under the motto “For the Oceans”. There’s also room for smaller prestige projects that may have a narrower radius, but are just as innovative. One of the more recent examples is a cooperation between designer Simone Post from the Design Academy Eindhoven and I:CO. The project turned old Adidas sneakers into carpets. It goes without saying that they featured the iconic three stripes.

“The industry can no longer afford to wait for instructions and guidance. That’s why we teamed up with the Parley for the Oceans network to take concrete action, thus developing new sustainable and innovative materials for athletes. The 3D printed midsole made of marine plastic is an excellent example of how we can set new industry standards by questioning the raison d’être of everything we create.” Eric Liedtke, Adidas Group

In cooperation with designer Simone Post and the company I:CO, old sneaker soles were trans- formed into carpets for the store.

Store owner Vendula Stoklásková launched 100Class in Prague in 2015.

100Class Concept Store, Prague Timelessness and Minimalism

Vendula Stoklásková picked the perfect spot in Prague’s city centre for her concept store for fair and ecological fashion. A small, highly creative, and independent art and fashion scene has established itself in the heart of the old town. Even as early as 2015, when she launched her store, the concept fell on fertile ground. The people of Prague have long since internalised awareness for prudent consumption.

Sustainability was part of your business model from day one? Or did it evolve in this direction gradually?

Yes, it was an integral part right from the beginning. We even use Vivienne Westwood’s motto: “Buy Less, Choose Well”. I have been buying long-lasting and timeless things all my life, especially clothes. Through my work, I strive to show how it can work in everyday life. I know it is now a trend, but we aren’t into trends. We prefer long-lasting things. It should be natural to think about things we buy and use.

To what extent do Prague consumers demand sustainability from a fashion store?

I would say that it’s not the customers’ idea. As I said, it is becoming more popular, but it will need time. In my opinion, it is better to speak with people about it than to push them by telling them to buy this or that. Or to tell them not to buy something. Everybody needs to find their own way.

What’s your main focus?

The products have to be of high quality, because they need to be both timeless and long-lasting. Our old interior set a sustainable mood. We had used industrial spools as a table base, for example. For the redesign, we asked friends for some favours. We were given leftover fabrics, which we upcycled and used as a cover for the cubes. Even the cubes were part of a different store before. We are preparing a new fitting room, which will be built from materials sourced from a previous design fair stand. We consider all aspects, not only the products we stock.

Where do you see the biggest chance for sustainability in the fashion retail trade?

In conscious customers….

“It’s better to speak to people than to tell them what to buy - and what not to.” Vendula Stoklásková

Upcycling and recycling are just as important at 100Class as vintage furni- ture from other stores.

Ethic Attic, Bangalore

Ambassador for New Solutions

When Rema Sivaram launched Ethic Attic in Bangalore in 2016, she knew that she would be pioneering a philosophy that was not very popular in the domestic fashion industry, especially given the dominance of so-called Fast Fashion. Slow Fashion and sustainable business practices still have a rather small fan base in India, but it is growing slowly but surely. Rema Sivaram organises events and tours the country with pop-up stores as an ambassador. At the same time, her store informs designers about new fabrics made of aloe vera, banana fibres, or lotus, and organises bulk orders from the respective manufacturers. Ethic Attic now showcases more than 20 brands from all over India – all selected on the basis of strict criteria.

To what extent do Indian consumers demand sustainability from a fashion store?

As a country that belongs to the region where most of the Fast Fashion is produced, access to cheap Fast Fashion is very easy – and that is challenging. Sustainability was part of our lives a couple of decades ago, but then mass production took over. So the path back to sustainability is fairly easy for us. However, the sheer volume of cheap fashion is a huge problem to deal with. Discussions about the fashion revolution and the negative impact of Fast Fashion has helped the movement to grow. There is also this myth that sustainability is expensive and unsuitable for average consumers. We are trying to debunk that myth.

What is your approach to sustainability?

There are hundreds of little things that add up to a reasonably sustainable product. I say reasonable, because keeping the price affordable is important in terms of popularising sustainability in the mainstream. More often than not, a 100 percent sustainable product isn’t achievable. So whenever we choose brands, we look at the ethos behind the brand and whether the sustainability quotient comes from a deeper understanding of the concept, or whether the term is merely being used because it is easy to sell. I look for at least 80 percent sustainability compliance before choosing a brand. So, sometimes the underlying process is more sustainable than the product. However, I can confidently state that each and every product in our store can be attached to the one of the 17 SDGs. “Ethic Attic can be called a pioneer in Slow Fashion and sustainability in Bangalore. We are glad to see it growing now, both in Bangalore and other parts

of India.” Rema Sivaram

The store design features old transport boxes. The paper bags are made of recycled newsprint in a neighbouring workshop for the disabled.

Ceiling-high shelf structures made of domestic woods, spacious sofas, and a living room atmosphere in the changing rooms make Kowtow a home away from home.

Kowtow, Wellington The Soul of New Zealand

Gosia Piatek opened her brand store Kowtow in 2007. It fell on fertile ground at the time, because sustainability awareness is a long-standing tradition in New Zealand. Accordingly, her store reflects the key characteristics of her homeland: simplicity, reduction, and generosity. The entire interior design was created by Rufus Knight, a local architect and interior designer who exclusively works with natural, sustainable, and locally grown materials.

Space is the New Luxury

At Kowtow, the ceiling-high structures and symmetrically arranged shelving systems are particularly striking, mainly because the store itself benefits greatly from the expansiveness of the large rooms. All materials are natural and locally sourced. In Piatek’s eyes, this reflects the new definition of luxury. Sustainably cultivated and hand-harvested bamboo, refined with organic hard wax, can be found everywhere. The counter and displays are made of Valchromat, an FSC-certified chipboard composite made of recycled wood shavings. The store’s sofas are upholstered with renewable and compostable fibres such as virgin wool blends. The linen curtains are made of sustainably cultivated linen, which has been processed using a dew-drying technique. The hand-crafted ceramic tiles by Gidon Bing, a local artist, are a real eye-catcher. The rugs are made of recycled synthetic materials. Some of them contain old fishing nets reclaimed from the ocean.

“The store opening is an opportunity to bring the Kowtow ethos into a physical space. The only option for us was to engage interior designer and architect Rufus Knight, as he is leading the charge with innovative interiors. Every detail was considered: from the recycled nylon rugs to the New Zealand grown and milled timber.” Gosia Piatek

Carpets made of recycled nylon – among others fishing nets reclaimed from the ocean – and ta- bles made of recycled chipboard are just some of the features Kowtow boasts.

Clean chic without compromise: Mira Höp- fner and Wiebke Clef of Glore in Altona are not convinced by the marketing campaigns of large companies. Their concept is based on credibility and transparency, down to the smallest detail.

Glore, Hamburg Altona The Niche’s Niche

All eight Glore stores, located in Germany and Lucerne in Switzerland, are owned by the same family and share the same concept. They are, however, not franchises, but independent businesses. One of the youngest – even in a figurative sense – is the Glore store in Hamburg Altona. It was opened on the 1st of March 2019. Here, owner Mira Höpfner quite deliberately focuses on a niche within the niche: sustainable and fairly manufactured streetwear for young customers between 20 and 40 years of age. Like every member of the Glore team, she can draw from the know-how and experience of Bernd Hausmann, the founder of Glore who opened the first store in 2006 in Nuremberg.

No Limits

In line with the Glore philosophy, Mira Höpfner has clear sustainability guidelines and a specific catalogue of criteria that a collection must meet in terms of production, materials, working conditions, and fair trade. But there are also no limits to sensible shopfitting ideas that make everyday store life more sustainable. Most of the furniture is made of a wood-linoleum compound. The store also features untreated structural steel and LED lighting. Every work step is assessed for a more sustainable alternative – always. Glore in Hamburg Altona has set out to inspire a young target group for GOTS-certified and Fair Wear Foundation-compliant fashion. This kind of fashion thrives on storytelling – a dream in terms of social media.

“We are still a long way off the mainstream. The pool of labels that fit our concept is still relatively small. Here in Altona, we strive to showcase brands that translate sustainability into cool, fresh streetwear styles. That’s our niche within the niche, so to speak.” Mira Höpfner

Part of the Glore family: Mira Höpfner and Wiebke Clef (pictured) jointly manage the new Glore store in Hamburg Altona.

The Maiyet Collective has made a name for itself quickly, not least with a pop-up store at Harvey Nichols.

For The Conduit in Mayfair, The Maiyet Collective showcased an exclusive selection of sus- tainable cosmetics. The Conduit is London’s first members’ club dedicated to social engage- ment and bringing NGOs together with investors.

Top model Arizona Muse is a The Maiyet Collective ambassador. Here she is attending a lunch event dedicated to sustainability.

The Maiyet Collective, Mayfair, London The Spirit of Community

The Maiyet Collective is a travelling monthly pop-up store that showcases a rotating lineup of 50 labels that are dedicated to sustainability. The concept is the brainchild of Paul van Zyl, a South African who initially made a name for himself as an advocate for human rights and environmental activist. He launched the Maiyet high fashion label in New York in 2011. The idea was born out of the fact that the fashion industry ranks second among the world’s worst environment polluters. Van Zyl believes that luxury brands have the leverage to change the status quo gradually. His collective enjoys the backing of brands such as Ecoalf, Eleven Six, Stephen Webster, and Swedish Stockings. Ever since The Maiyet Collective celebrated its debut in the centre of Mayfair in London in October 2018, it has been meeting regularly to exchange ideas and present shared values in a pop-up store. The aim is to convince others of the feasibility of the concept. The pop-up store has already made appearances in prestigious locations such as Harvey Nichols and The Conduit London.

How do you select the brands and stores you team up with?

Olivia Mansson: There’s a huge amount of research that goes into each brand selection and the choice of location. As all retailers have their own customer base and target groups, it’s in everyone’s interest to curate a brand selection which proves an excellent fit for all respective profiles.

What about the economic output of the project? Could this be a long-term business model? Or is it a short-term project?

We see it as both. It’s a business idea. We truly believe in the concept and the increased demand for experiential shopping, as well as conscious consumption.

Do you see a growing demand for sustainable retail concepts?

We consider the demand to be so great that conventional retailers must adapt – meaning not only what they sell, but how they operate in terms of both products and practices.

“We’d like to share our ethos with the world and a pop-up concept enables us to do so.” Olivia Mansson