Green Retail World has covered big news from Ikea, Currys, River Island, and much more this week. Here are five news-in-brief items to round up the last seven days in greener retailing.
Stella McCartney receives CBE for services to fashion and sustainability
Fashion designer Stella McCartney has received her CBE from King Charles III, in recognition of her services to fashion and sustainability.
On receiving the CBE at Windsor Castle last week, McCartney wore a custom regenerative wool dress. Powered by blockchain technology, the garment is also traceable back through the supply chain to two farms in Western Australia.
Mary Portas named keynote speaker at Retail Technology Show
Retail guru Mary Portas has been named as a keynote speaker at this year’s Retail Technology Show, which will run at London Olympia on 26-27 April.
Portas, known as “Queen of Shops” due to her TV show of the same name, and co-chair of the Better Business Act, will use her keynote on day two of the event to outline the role of human connectivity and the ‘kindness economy’.
The addition of Portas to the event bill comes after Dragon’s Den star, Steven Bartlett, was revealed as a keynote last week. The show’s management team have promised more than 100 of retail’s brightest minds on the conference stage and hundreds of retail solution providers on the exhibition floor during the two days.
H&M partners with Remondis for textile recycling venture
H&M Group has partnered with recycling and waste company Remondis to create a joint venture (JV).
The 50-50 JV – called Looper Textile Co. – aims to collect, sort, and sell used and unwanted garments and textiles to extend the use of these valuable resources and cut down what ends up in landfill.
Asda and Co-op to introduce Anya Hindmarch’s Universal Bag to shoppers
Luxury UK brand Anya Hindmarch, in collaboration with food retailers globally, has created a new shopping bag solution which aims to encourage a “greater reuse mindset”. The so-called ‘Universal Bag’ will be available in 300 Asda stores next week.
A Co-op version of the bag will be available by the end of March. The bag is made in the brand colours of the retailer selling it, so Asda’s is green and Co-op’s is light blue.
Described as a 100% recycled and recylable shopping bag, the Universal Bag is priced at £10 and is designed for ongoing usage. Once consumers no longer want to use it they can fold it up and use its built-in stamped address envelope to send it back to be recycled. Anya Hindmarch and its production partner, Solent Group, have committed to share the learnings from this project with all global retailers on request to try and advance the reusable packaging agenda.
The Universal Bag is already available at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Selfridges Food Halls in the UK, and City’SUPER in Hong Kong. More global partnerships will be announced later in the year.
Anya Hindmarch, founder & creative director of the eponymous brand, said: “Since launching The Universal Bag, we have saved over 97 tonnes of virgin plastic from landfill, the equivalent weight of over eight London double decker buses.
“The problem of single use plastic is far from solved. Working together with major global food retailers shows how the solution needs to be collaborative and that together we can make a big difference.”
‘Second-hand is not second best’ message hits home at London Fashion Week
On Thursday, eBay UK teamed up with Oxfam at London Fashion Week to convey the message that second-hand does not mean second best.
As part of the pre-loved showcase at the glamourous opening night event, several famous faces walked the runway, including Tasha Ghouri, Miquita Oliver, and Daisy Lowe. The collaboration was styled by Bay Garnett using items found in Oxfam stores. All items displayed are now available via eBay auction, with all funds going to the charity for its Syria & Turkey Earthquake Relief initiative.
[Image credit: Green Retail World]
