From sports uniforms made from recycled bottles to plastic fishing tournaments, here are some things that made us say “That’s Interesting” in the studio this week.
So, we see plastic waste securing its space in fashion and making a debut at a global event, unexpected satirical scents created for a good cause, the future of luxury retail being small and tech enhanced, and local tournaments that clean oceans and promote eco-conscious behaviour.
Recycled Olympics.
The world is looking forward to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (delayed due to the pandemic), which are finally starting this Friday! And this year’s Olympics are brought to you with something extra special. The t-shirts and trousers worn by the torchbearers who carried the Olympic flame follow the Olympic torch example and have been made from recycled plastic bottles collected by Coca-Cola. The uniforms have a unisex design inspired by the theme of the Tokyo Olympics, which is “Hope Lights Our Way”. Another chapter in the story of humanity finding better ways of managing our problem with plastic waste.
Let the games begin here
Smells like capitalism.
Have you ever in your wildest dreams thought that you could one day smell capitalism? Well now you can and, as you’d expect, it doesn’t come cheap! The candle is priced £2,021.00! The anti-establishment and pop culture merchandise brand Flaming Crap is the creator of this ultra expensive candle, formulated to smell like a musky leather wallet with hints of Great British Sterling kept in an off-shore account. An intriguing scent to say the least! The candles are made from vegan soy wax and recycled materials and the profits from the sales will be donated to aid communities in the UK that have been impacted by the pandemic. An unexpected product that uses satire to raise money for some seriously worthy causes – and make a statement at the same time.
Burn cash here
The future of retail?
Bloomingdale’s welcomes the future of retail with a new multi-brand luxury retail offering called Bloomie’s (cute name btw). For the last decade, we’ve seen luxury department stores fighting a losing battle, and the pandemic has only made things harder. Bloomie’s is Bloomingdale’s answer to the challenge, a new store model with a much smaller retail space which aims to follow each location’s trends while also experimenting with novel in-store technologies. Recognising the future lies in stripping back and using technology to make experiences more unique and exciting, Bloomie’s will have a totally different look and feel to its parent. Following the trends of micro-communities and using technology as an ally, retail spaces can welcome a new era of shops that will be more agile and will have greater flexibility in keeping up with what the consumers wants.
Say hello to cute little Bloomie here
Gone fishing…
Corona beer has organised a pretty unusual tournament in Mexico… A plastic fishing competition! 80 local fishermen joined and competed to make the biggest catch which meant fishing tons of plastic from the ocean in Mazatlan. The winner pulled 815 pounds of plastic and earned 14.800 pesos which is equivalent to a month’s wages in the area. Playful ways that nudge people towards more eco-conscious behaviour and raise awareness about sustainability create positive engagement for brands.
Cast your net here