Adidas Opens Sustainable-Focused Store in CT, Prioritising Recyclable Fashion

As a continuation of its commitment to sustainability, Adidas South Africa has opened its most sustainable retail space in SA at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Taking inspiration from nature, the 478sqm Adidas Concept store is centred around a biophilic design, which is all about “bringing the outdoors inside”, and sees natural elements, such as live plants, reclaimed wood, and recycled materials, all incorporated into building design.

Some of the store’s features include:

• The 4.5sqm living plant wall is made up of a variety of plant species known for their humidifying and filtration properties, and for promoting a sense of wellbeing.

• The cash desk is made from reclaimed wood, taken from crates used to transport retail fixtures and mannequins.

• Poly twill fabric banners featured in-store are made from recycled plastic bottles, while shelving is manufactured by Smile Plastics and made from plastic waste.

• Xanita engineered fibreboard made from recycled materials, is used for décor and in-store displays.

• The Terrazzo floor is made from cement with the addition of marble chips, rock and glass, making it both a durable and eco-friendly option.

LEED Certification

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. It provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient green buildings.

The Adidas Concept store at the V&A Waterfront is currently undergoing LEED-certification in accordance with the USGBC’s LEED rating system, which amongst other criteria, takes water and energy efficiency, waste management and indoor environmental quality into account.

In keeping with the stringent LEED requirements, some of the measures implemented by the Adidas SA team include monitoring the air quality and energy consumption in real-time; being able to collect, sort and record waste on-site; and installing a reverse osmosis water purification system.

Product offering

Consumers can expect to find a wide range of Adidas items, many of which are made in part with recycled materials. Globally, Adidas has made a commitment that by 2025, 9 out of 10 Adidas articles will feature a sustainable technology, material, design or manufacturing method.

The store also offers a best-in-class showcasing of Adidas running, training, football, outdoor and Originals products, an exclusive offering of Y-3 footwear and apparel, and Collections by Stella McCartney and Karlie Kloss. To celebrate the opening of the Adidas Concept Store at the V&A Waterfront, there will also be limited edition T-shirts celebrating all that is beautiful about Cape Town.

Creative Collaborations

When it comes to the store aesthetics, look out for the ‘Footwear Reimagined’ display, created by six South African artists, each working with a pair of iconic Adidas shoes and materials specific to their craft, to showcase how they imagine footwear could look in the future.

• Danielle Clough (Adidas footwear: Ozweego). Danielle uses yarn and fabric offcuts to express the best of human emotion.

• Atang Tshikare (Adidas footwear: Superstar). Atang uses reclaimed or indigenous wood and biomaterials to create otherworldly characters.

• Xhanti Zwelendaba (Adidas footwear: Forum). Xhanti uses new mediums and alternative materials in his approach.

• Ben Eagle (Adidas footwear: NMD). Ben’s area of interest is the organic relationship and interplay between abstract shape and colour.

• Hannerie Visser, founder of Studio H (Adidas footwear: Stan Smith). Studio H is driven by the senses, defined by science, innovation and sustainable practices.

• Matthew Edwards (Adidas footwear: Ultraboost). Matthew is fascinated by narratives and notions of new materials especially when it comes to circular design.

Matthew Edwards has also crafted a spectacular adidas Trefoil logo for the store, incorporating recycled plastic. The plastic used in the design comes from a beach clean-up held at the Parley Ocean School in Hout Bay in September 2021.

Digital innovation

Another aspect of operating more sustainably is moving away from printed in-store graphics to a more digital display. The Adidas Concept store is a continuation of the immersive digital experience launched in the Adidas Flagship Store (Sandton City) in July this year. Visitors will find a technology-led store with digital touchpoints throughout to create a range of consumer-first experiences for the South African market. An example is the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) mirror in the changing rooms, which automatically detects product information to provide consumers with different colour and style options.

Sense of Community

The Adidas Concept Store at the V&A Waterfront will be the new home of Adidas Runners Cape Town, with secure lockers available in-store to store personal belongings while out on a run. Another community-orientated feature is the spacious changing rooms, which are big enough to accommodate those shopping with children or wanting a private bra measurement service, requiring a little extra movement space. And if you’re short on time, make use of the Adidas ‘click and collect’ concierge service by purchasing online ahead of time.

The Adidas V&A Waterfront Store in Cape Town is located at Shop 213 and 214 on the upper level of the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.