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Collina Strada reworks apparel from Ghanaian markets

Kantamanto market capsule collection by Collina Strada and Browns, Ghana

Accra, Ghana – The sustainable label is collaborating with retailer Browns to create a capsule collection that gives new life to textile waste.

Repurposing t-shirts sourced from Ghana's Kantamanto Market, the project highlights the fact that over 15m items of clothing from the US pass through the market every week for recycling, but about 40% leaves as waste, often ending up in Ghana’s landfill, open dump sites or the ocean (source: OR Foundation).

To raise awareness of the social implications of this system, Collina Strada created a capsule collection using the waste from the market to give unwanted garments a new lease for life. Comprising hand-dyed pieces that reflect the brand’s DIY aesthetic, the range will be available exclusively through Browns.

The collaboration was made possible by non-profit-making The OR Foundation, which has been working on the Dead White Man’s Clothes research project – a literal translation of the Akan phrase for ‘second-hand clothing’. While a new wave of Deadstock Designers are focusing on repurposing unsold apparel, Collina Strada's collection is critiquing the problems with the global second-hand fashion market.

A high-end fitness club for the black community

Blaque, US

New York – Blaque provides a physical and digital space for the mental, emotional and physical wellness of black communities.

As part of its mission to create a culturally resonant, high-quality fitness space with black wellness at its centre, the woman-owned start-up is opening a gym location in New York, launching a digital platform for fitness and wellness content as well as outdoor movement-based events. With black communities accounting for nearly 60% of Covid-related deaths, according to founder T’Nisha Symone, Blaque seeks to rebalance health and wellness for black people.

With the black experience the focus point of all services – from the music played to the beauty products available – Symone hopes to reclaim elements of the fitness market that have been appropriated from black culture. ‘When class concepts are born out of black culture [such as hip hop dance], they are repackaged to serve predominantly white members,’ she tells Wallpaper.

Blaque is part of a movement of new Inclusive Fitness concepts showing how being fit and healthy is no longer the preserve of affluent white people.

Eco-friendly dental health on subscription

UK – The Floe subscription kit is designed to reduce the environmental impact of the oral care industry.

Floe has launched its subscription box to encourage consumers to develop habits that are good for the planet as well as their oral health.

Backed by dentists, the boxes include a Swiss-made Curaprox toothbrush, whitening and anti-cavity toothpastes in sugar cane packaging and floss made from bamboo charcoal fibres.

The brand uses a 100% circular model to eliminate waste. Every 12 weeks, when customers receive a new box, Floe asks that they return their used tubes and packaging, so that they can be correctly recycled and turned into new products.

While some direct-to-consumer (DTC) dentistry models have been scrutinised for encouraging DIY treatments, Floe instead taps into the rise of Certified Wellness.

Floe Oral Care, UK

Stat: Social media is accelerating the counterfeit market

Counterfeit Beauty

The counterfeiting market is growing at a rapid rate, according to a new report from technology firm Entrupy. The State of the Fake 2020 report shows that counterfeits now make up 2.5% of global trade – worth £746bn ($991bn, €833bn) – and are forecast to cost the global economy up to £2.1 trillion ($2.8 trillion, €2.4 trillion) by 2022.

The report goes on to demonstrate how social media has affected the illicit market. According to Entrupy, as many as 20% of Instagram purchases are counterfeit, with most of these listings occurring on Instagram Stories. ‘Countless online counterfeit stores are being run through Facebook and Instagram pages, the ability to purchase a replica no longer has physical barriers and can be completed through the click of a button,’ says Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder of Entrupy.

As fashion counterfeiters become more relentless in their approach, brands and consumers are looking to digital tools in an effort to fight back. For more, read our microtrend.