Italy – Fashion brand AVAVAV has released a pair of avant-garde shoes that are crafted using deadstock fabric from neighbouring luxury fashion houses.

As a key production hub for many luxury brands, the label's home city of Florence creates millions of meters of fabric, much of which ends up not being used. The limited-edition hyper-realistic four-toed boots – dubbed ‘bloody feet’ – are typical of the clothing label's conscious production ethos. Other aspects of the brand’s sustainable supply chain include transporting fabric in electric vehicles to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and using recycled packaging.

‘After years in the fashion industry, I craved something upon my own beliefs,’ says Linda Friberg, founder of AVAVAV. ‘We wanted to create something that both responds to and confronts the now inevitable future, both in regard to sustainability and to what fashion will become,’

Demonstrating a growing desire to deviate away from mass-produced fashion with their small-batch collections, brands like AVAVAV are shifting their focus to deadstock and agile new waste strategies.

UK – Carra is a new membership platform offering advice and personalised care routines for people with afro, curly and textured hair.

Members are given access to their own professional hair coach, who offer advice and practical tips for managing hair. The Carra coaches carry out an initial in-depth virtual consultation to understand the needs and goals of each user, before providing a ‘prescription’. Informed by the texture, health, type, and lifestyle of each user, hair prescriptions include personalised analysis, suggested routines, and product recommendations.

Available in two package types – the Carra Starter and the Carra Bundle – both include the initial consultation and access to bespoke advice, while the latter provides additional analysis and ongoing support. ‘We are re-envisioning today’s noisy and overwhelming textured hair experience to build a truly borderless personalisation platform targeting multicultural women all across the globe,’ says Winnie Awa, founder of Carra.

Brands are exploring new ways of connecting with consumers on a deeper level, and providing educated expertise – as we identify in Feedback Frontiers – to retain circular and conversational communications.

The requirement to instal retail apps for transactions often represents a pain point for consumers, with many choosing to forego purchases altogether.

According to research by mobile product consultancy Heady, 77.9% of mobile phone users say that mandatory app installation has caused them to abandon at least one transaction in the past year. This has resulted in nearly one in three customers saving at least £72 ($100, €82) per year because companies made purchasing too difficult.

App installation also doesn’t equate to brand loyalty, as many consumers regularly delete their apps. The research shows that 78.9% of respondents remove apps at least once per month, with 26.2% doing so at least once per week.

While mobile shopping represents a significant opportunity for connecting with consumers, brands should consider the power of existing social networks to ensure a frictionless Social Commerce experience.