Physical retail may be faltering in the wake of COVID-19, but the downturn in commerce isn’t stopping brands from coming together online.
On Monday, a small collective of sustainably minded lifestyle labels led by circular sneaker brand Thousand Fell launched a web-based popup shop dubbed Sum of Small Parts. Naked Retail Group, which runs two brick-and-mortar concept stores in New York City, is hosting the group of eclectic labels on its e-commerce site. Mandated store closures have forced the group to shutter its chic digs in Nolita and SoHo—so Naked decided to take its latest store concept online.
Sum of Small Parts participants include fashion, beauty and home goods brands like Naked Cashmere, which upcycles post-consumer cashmere clothing to create new garments, Fair Harbor, which crafts swimwear from recycled ocean plastics, and Van Holzhauzen, a luxury handbag label that uses sustainable, animal-free leather. Siblings candles, Act+Acre hair care, Simiris supplements, Just Human luxury sunglasses and Navitas Organics superfoods round out the lifestyle offerings.
The purpose of the popup e-commerce shop is to serve as a roadmap for consumers looking to shop sustainably, Naked and Thousand Fell said in a statement on Monday, adding that the chosen grouping of brands has worked to drive change in their respective industries and promote environmental conservation.
For the duration of the popup, all participants have agreed to donate to One Tree Planted, a 501 charity that promotes reforestation through the planting of trees across the globe. A “10 for You, 10 for the Planet” promotion gives customers $10 off each purchase, while an additional $10 is donated to the charity. According to Naked, this particular effort will support reforestation efforts in the Chesapeake Bay Area in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Additionally, Naked and its brand partners will be drumming up support for the event through a series of product giveaways on the site.
Related Stories
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with all of these incredible brands that are pushing their respective industries forward with their sustainable missions,” Thousand Fell co-founder Stuart Ahlum said.
The shoe startup had received feedback from customers who were looking for more ways to shop sustainably, Ahlum added, and the Naked partnership was born of a desire to create a “one-stop hub” for eco-friendly products. “Both brands and customers are working to navigate this challenging new climate,” he said.
“We create our sneakers to be footwear for the future, so it felt right to be a part of this innovative digital retail concept designed to deliver the modern shopping experience we find our customers are seeking,” added Chloe Songer, Thousand Fell co-founder.