Lined with department stores, malls and flagship stores for global fashion brands, Huaihai Road is said to be Shanghai’s answer to Fifth Avenue and the Champs-Elysées. But at Venue, the street’s newest destination, most of the clothing is produced by small local brands using materials such as old plastic bottles and used bicycle tubes.
Spread over 7,000 square meters over eight floors in what was once a bright pink Barbie doll store, HAI550 opened last month as China’s first sustainable lifestyle mall. It is targeting wealthy consumers with the backing of Chinese fashion retailer Yangor, which owns international brands such as The Undefeated and Helly Hanson and holds a stake in Alexander Wang.
“Our customers are typically well-educated, have international experience, and love design. They respect original design,” says Sustainably Produced Inside Shopping Malls. said Cindy Wang, who owns a store that sells clothing and shoes.
“All the materials are recycled. The leather is recycled. The denim is recycled from plastic bottles and the sole is made from natural rubber and wine cork.”
China has become dramatically greener in recent years, as major investments in renewable energy sources have made the country a world leader in solar power, wind power, and electric vehicles. Visitors returning to the country for the first time in years note improved air quality and quieter streets in cities where half the cars are electric.
But China, the world headquarters of fast fashion with companies like Shein and Temu, is also the largest producer of textile waste. More than 26 million tons of clothing is thrown away every year in China, much of it made from synthetic fibers, and much of it ends up in landfills.
The first floor of HAI550 is reserved for pop-up stands and art exhibitions, and to save energy, escalators to other floors will only go up. Each floor has a mix of outlets selling locally produced perfumes, fashion, jewellery, sportswear, outdoor wear and organic groceries.
Uoosee creates bags made from bicycle tire inner tubes, and art accessories brand PabePabe creates upcycled rain boots. Prices are generally higher than in traditional fashion malls on Huaihai Road, but Wang insists that customers at stores like hers are looking for something different.
“Our designs are very minimal and long-lasting, so we don’t have many products. We also consider sustainable design. It’s not fashion design. Sustainability, concept and philosophy also drive the design. ” she said.
“It’s still new in China, but it’s a large population, so it definitely has its own community. It’s not for everyone, but Shanghai is definitely a good place.”
This month, on the 4th floor of HAI550, an exhibition of food-themed paintings, photographs, ceramics, and other works was held. In front of the exhibit was a wall lined with toilet paper wrapped in different colors, with two rolls hanging from holders for customers to handle.
This is Qtopia, a sustainable toilet paper brand launched this month by Jeremy Circuile, a French art curator, publisher and ceramist who has lived in Shanghai for 18 years. Qtopia is made entirely from bamboo. Bamboo grows quickly, is felled rather than cut, quickly replenished, and is abundant in China.
“Toilet paper is always thought of as a very mundane subject, but it’s a product that everyone uses in such large quantities that the environmental impact is enormous. Just to produce toilet paper, Millions of trees are being cut down every week,” Mr Sarquier said.
“But if you can suddenly change people’s materials, you can have a huge impact. About 40 percent of the world’s trees are cut down for paper production; That’s 20 percent of the total wood used for toilet paper.
Although HAI550 provides a showcase for Qtopia, almost all of its sales and marketing is done online, and the products are sold at premium prices. But Circuille hopes to build a culture around the brand by using his connections in the art world to commission artists to design a different toilet paper wrapper every few months.
“The brand name is Qtopia in English. The Chinese name also sounds like Utopia, but more literally, it reads like a world without shit. The truth is that Utopia’s problem lies in the world, especially in China. “I think everyone is thinking about what kind of future we want and what kind of ideal world we want to live in,” he said.
“People want brands that have more value. People want brands that say something, they want more local brands, more local products, products that are more rooted in Chinese culture. , I think that’s very important for people. Basically, shopping malls need to be a mirror of the aspirations of young consumers.”
( China launches stimulus measures to boost growthopens in new window )
China’s economic downturn since the coronavirus pandemic and the three-year slump in the real estate market have left many consumers more cost-conscious than ever. One of HAI550’s employees said that when he buys something for himself, he first thinks about the price, then the design, and then the environment.
Cirqueir acknowledged that China does not share Europe’s “dialectics of sanctity” around the environment and that sustainable practices have not penetrated consumers. But he sees attitudes changing and suggests that change is likely to come from China’s top, not just from below.
“At a political level, there are policies being implemented to increase sustainability. If you look at brands, more and more brands are trying to incorporate sustainable practices into their operations. Brands trying to become more sustainable “Many young Chinese who have studied abroad are also repeating themselves or suddenly becoming more sensitive to issues like ecology, global warming, and all these other issues,” he said.
“From a political point of view, I think it’s very likely that at some point the government will say no more plastic bags, and then there will be no more plastic bags. I mean it’s more likely to happen on a political level than on a personal level. I strongly believe that China can implement those policies. I think the economy is slowing down a bit now. means we need to find new mechanisms to generate growth. Many people agree on sustainability, and I think sustainable products will be one of those vectors. is.”
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