Issue #052
Charlotte Hurd
02/26/21
Welcome to your weekly dose of TOO x TOO – featuring Brewdog's B-corp success, Tom Dixon tackling travel restrictions, Dolce & Gabbana ramp up retail and Couch-19, a new way to tackle face mask waste
Brewdog achieves B-corp Status
Although Covid-19 has taken centre stage for many of us over the last year, the climate crisis has not gone away and as consumer focus returns to more mindful action it is crucial for brands to define innovative ways of working which are overall kinder to our planet.
In the UK for example, 62% of consumers are more likely to purchase a sustainable energy product or service (EY, Feb 2021) and a recent report has found that climate-aligned companies are outperforming non-eco competitors by 11% (ESG Data).
So, the consumer appetite remains, and brands need to act. One brand renowned for their contribution to sustainability are Brewdog who have this week been officially named a B-corp brand.
B Corps are a global community of businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social & environmental performance & public transparency to help build a better world. The future of business and brands.
“After decades of inaction we have a climate crisis on the horizon, and our certification as a B Corp business is another huge part of BrewDog’s commitment to considering the impact of our business decisions on the global community,” said co-founder James Watt.
Becoming a B Corp was “further confirmation” of BrewDog’s long-term commitment to showcase that businesses can be a force for good, and to build “a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit”, it said.
Tom Dixon Tackles Travel Restrictions
British furniture and homewares brand Tom Dixon have taken on the challenges of travel restrictions in place due to the pandemic in an unusual way. For the launch of their new CLOUD product range the brand have created a hologram of its figurehead.
The hologram, which is capable of conducting one-on-one interviews was sent to journalists at home, in an attempt to disrupt Zoom fatigue and create a more intimate, exciting event.
In previous years, Tom Dixon would usually be running their 24 Hours series where a chosen city hosts events across a day. Past cities have included Paris, Copenhagen and New York. With this 'phygital' example, Dixon could be sent directly to your living room, in whichever city – without the need for travel.
Dolce & Gabbana Ramp Up Retail
Dolce & Gabbana have joined forces with Jean Nouvel design to create the fashion house’s boutique in Seoul’s Gangnam District.
The store looks to create a dialogue between tradition and innovation. The imposing building looks, from the outside like a display cabinet, both containing and revealing what is within. The experience culminates on the roof terrace, where shoppers can lounge beneath a semi-circular canopy.
A Stuff You to Face Mask Litterers
It has been estimated the around 75% of disposable face masks will end up in landfill or floating in our waterways, where over the course of around 450 years they will break down into microplastics and be ingested by marine life.
This staggering number inspired Italian designer Tobia Xambotti to think of a new and unusual way re-using this waste. He has used discarded single-use masks as stuffing for a sofa.
Named Couch-19 as a direct reference to Covid-19, the design is filled with PPE that was collected by citizens of Pergine Valsugana, Zambotti's hometown in the north of Italy.
"We are facing a pandemic of easy, cheap and single-use plastic solutions like masks, gloves and face shields, even though there are great sustainable alternatives and we all know how important it is to use them," Zambotti told Dezeen.
"My goal with this project was to transform something that is considered trash into something meaningful."
