Uniqlo opens up a sustainable concept store where hundreds of young people are lining up to extend the lifecycle of their clothing

​

Clothing retailer, UNIQLO opened their doors to a sustainable concept store in central London, where hundreds of Gen Z have lined up to extend the lifecycle of their clothes.

​

The flagship, Re.Uniqlo, is a dedicated space that executes clothing repair services in house. Staff are trained to offer professional alteration services. Ranging anywhere from hemming pants, to mending holes, and replacing old buttons. The fashion brand offers not only appealing options for style, but also sustainability.

​

As an elevated offering, the storefront can revamp their customers’ old clothing into customized pieces, using the Japanese Sashiko stitching technique – a traditional embroidery approach to embellishing and reinforcing fabrics to extend their use. The results are wonderfully customized garments that appeal to young visitors who want to highlight their uniqueness and take part in an upcycle initiative.

​

Figure3’s Insight:

​

Young people today, are looking for experiences and brands that cater to their personal style and values.

​

“To attract Gen-Z, brands must highlight their commitment to societal changes such as diversity, environmentalism, sustainability, climate change, and world hunger. Most importantly a brands’ CSR statement must be something that the brand lives, rather than just brags about”

/ Mardi Najafi, the VP of Retail Strategy and Design at Figure3.

​

In this day and age, young people are actively sharing information and opinions. More than ever before, brands need to understand their intended target group and tap into how the brand and retail experience can connect with them in a meaningful way.

​

In this case, UNIQLO is ensuring their values are in alignment with how they see Gen Z and Millennials impact their business strategy.

​

Successful retailers and brands are those that model a clear brand promise and prioritize the user experience.

 

Learn more about Figure3’s retail projects here.

​

Image credits: Uniqlo