News 29.08.2019

Need to Know

Ikea wants to serve Sweden’s ageing population, KitKat is spearheading more sustainable packaging, and the evolution of Australia’s male grooming market.

Musée forefronts the stories behind its resale accessories

Musée, Beijing
Musée, Beijing
Musée, Beijing
Musée, Beijing

Beijing – The new accessory consignment store employs a cohort of professional consultants to educate customers on the individual items for sale.

Designed by Studio8, the Musée flagship is an open platform for luxury accessories in Beijing. The store assistants are focused on enriching customers’ in-store experience by offering them in-depth insight into the items on sale.

‘Every accessory that people possess is an abstract object that serves a certain function or purpose,’ says Studio8’s principal designer Shirley Dong. ‘This changes when people place more importance and value on the object, whether through the brand, colour, material, or handcrafting process. Luxury goods then become time travellers, with an ever-increasing value and preciousness.’ The studio has adopted a ’soft boundary’ approach to its design in order to better facilitate unstructured way-finding and encourage item discovery.

The resale market is booming. With consumers looking for more ethical, sustainable, and circular ways to obtain luxury good it is currently growing 24 times faster than traditional retail. In response to this shift in mindset we are now seeing a host of new brands creating innovative resale platforms.

Ikea designs homes with the elderly in mind

SilviaBo, Ikea, Sweden SilviaBo, Ikea, Sweden
SilviaBo, Ikea, Sweden SilviaBo, Ikea, Sweden

Sweden – The Swedish retailer has partnered with the construction company Skansa and the Queen of Sweden’s Silviahemmet foundation to offer housing that is adapted to the needs of elderly people with disabilities and dementia.

Part of Ikea’s BoKlok project, which promises low cost sustainable homes for everyone, the SilviaBO homes provide dementia-friendly layouts and design features. These include ramp entrances and colour-coded way finding, as well as secure gardens and clubhouses to encourage socialising between residents. The design-led homes have been developed to offer an aesthetic that is not defined by their functionality.

According to BoKlok’s website a fifth of the Swedish population is now over 65, a figure that will increase to around a quarter by 2050. ‘To take care of elderly people, that cost is exploding,’ Jonas Spangenberg, BoKlok’s CEO told CNN Business. ‘It’s much cheaper for society and the public to give them service back home.’ For more on how brands can empower ageing populations through design, read our opinion piece from Future Facility’s Kim Colin.

KitKat gets creative with sustainable origami packaging

Japan – In Japan, KitKat Mini’s plastic packaging has been swapped for recyclable origami paper.

The move comes as Nestlé aims to reduce its plastic waste by an estimated 380 tonnes per year. The initiative is part of the brand’s commitment to making all of its packaging 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025. Nestlé encourages consumers to get creative, and use the packaging to make origami paper cranes that contain well wishes for friends and family.

Ubiquitous within Japanese culture, the origami cranes are therefore both a culturally significant gift and a way for the brand to help its customers become more sustainable. ‘Plastic waste is one of the biggest sustainability issues the world is facing today. Tackling it requires a collective approach. We are committed to finding improved solutions to reduce, reuse and recycle,’ says Mark Schneider, Nestlé’s CEO.

As consumer concern around the environmental impact of plastic packaging grows it is inspiring new packaging concepts and driving growth within Re-usable Packaging Market.

Nestlé Japan’s KitKat packaging

Stat: Australia’s men are diversifying their beauty routines

A new report by Nielsen has found that Australian men are taking more care over their appearance than ever before. Some 69% of the country’s men now use at least one male grooming product, such as beard oil or facial cleanser. Men aged 25 to 54 are increasingly subscribing to new product categories like facial cleansers and moisturisers, while the use of traditional bathroom products like hair care, deodorants and aftershave are decreasing. Usage of deodorant and aftershave, for example, has fallen by 5% and 8%, respectively. To better understand the global nuances around men’s beauty, read our dedicated Market.

Previous News Articles
Corona constructs world’s first sun reserve in Brazil

News

Corona constructs world’s first sun reserve in Brazil

To mark its centenary, beach-born beer brand Corona has unveiled the world’s first sun reserve at Piedade Beach in Pernambuco, Brazil.
Sustainability : Drink : Advertising
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, deputy foresight editor D...
Pop Culture : Society : Politics
Stat: Coachella’s payment plan reflects cultural repricing

News

Stat: Coachella’s payment plan reflects cultural repricing

This year, around 60% of general admission ticket buyers at Coachella used the festival’s payment plan, which requires just £37.78 ($49.99, €43.94)...
Pop Culture & Media : Finance : US Market
LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

News

LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

Meet our new AI tool, Ember.
The Future Laboratory
Mami Wata makes sun protection accessible with a touch of humour

News

Mami Wata makes sun protection accessible with a touch of humour

Suncare brand Mami Wata is using humour and nostalgia to highlight the often-overlooked importance of scalp protection.
Beauty : Advertising : Health
The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere uses generative AI to re-imagine a classic

News

The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere uses generative AI to re-imagine a classic

Launching in August 2025, The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere will transform the 1939 classic into an immersive spectacle using cutting-edge generative AI.
Technology : Architecture : Pop Culture
Stat: US teen beauty spending soars as Gen Z embrace fragrances and skincare

News

Stat: US teen beauty spending soars as Gen Z embrace fragrances and skincare

Teen beauty spending is on the rise, with Piper Sandler’s Taking Stock With Teens 2025 report revealing double-digit year-on-year growth, particula...
Beauty : Retail : Youth
Pepsi uses AI to let diners customise dishes in São Paulo

News

Pepsi uses AI to let diners customise dishes in São Paulo

Pepsi is inviting diners to co-create bold new dishes with its AI-powered campaign Your Bites, Your Rights.
Drink : Food : Technology
Birth of womb transplant baby marks a milestone in fertility innovation

News

Birth of womb transplant baby marks a milestone in fertility innovation

The first British baby born to a mother with a transplanted womb has been safely delivered.
Technology : Health : Society
Stat: AI boom set to double data centre energy use by 2030

News

Stat: AI boom set to double data centre energy use by 2030

Data centres are on track to consume 945 terawatt-hours of electricity by 2030, more than double their 2024 usage and equivalent to Japan’s current...
Technology : Sustainability : AI
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN