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This campsite brings Nordic hygge to Japan

Nature field by Third Nature, Structured Environment and Henrik Innovation

Learning Communities in Nature by Third Nature, Structured Environment and Henrik Innovation

Arriving at the Center House by Third Nature, Structured Environment and Henrik Innovation

Japan and Scandinavia – Danish outdoors company Nordisk has teamed up with the Danish embassy in Japan to create a hygge-inspired campsite in Ugakei.

Situated in Uga Valley, the luxury site is due to open in 2021, located among dense forests and natural waterfalls. The site will offer a variety of accommodation options, including permanent tents and cabins, alongside communal outdoor facilities.

Appealing to Japanese interest in hygge – the Danish concept of feeling cosy and content – as well as sustainability and Danish design, the site will also provide education on eco-conscious and positive living. ‘At Nordisk, we believe that nature is a luxury that is free for all, and that spending time outside simply improves your life,’ says Erik J Møller, CEO and owner of Nordisk. ‘We act according to this view in Japan and see the Japanese consumers agreeing with us to a very large extent.’

With international travel becoming increasingly less appealing for consumers amid Covid-19 and environmental concerns, people are instead embracing high-end staycations.

Monpure’s skintellectual approach to hair loss

Monpure, London

London – Monpure’s sustainable hair and scalp product range draws from skincare regimes to tackle hair loss.

According to the brand, 40% of women and 70% of men suffer from thinning or loss of hair due to hard water, sun exposure and pore-clogging silicones found in shampoos.

In response, it has worked with scientists, dermatologists and beauty experts to produce a plant-based range to treat the cause of hair loss by drawing on active ingredients normally found in skincare. The line includes a clarifying scalp scrub, a scalp serum and a protein shampoo.

‘Traditional studies fail to recognise the interdependent relationship the hair has with its foundation, the scalp. Which is why, at Monpure, we wanted to educate customers on the importance of incorporating scalp care into their daily skincare regime,’ explains Natanel Bigger, the brand's founder.

As demonstrated by Monpure, haircare brands are increasingly co-opting skincare active formulations and routines to promote long-term hair health.

Evian introduces label-free plastic water bottles

Global – Evian has introduced label-free, 100% recycled plastic bottles as part of its efforts to become fully circular by 2025.

In place of its usual plastic labels, Evian’s new bottles have the brand name and other information moulded into the plastic bottle itself. Created as a response to often un-recyclable labels – commonly made from a different type of plastic than the PET used in bottles – the water brand hopes to mitigate waste by working towards a wholly recyclable product.

Shweta Harit, global brand vice-president at Evian, says: ‘The benefit of being label-free is that our new bottle is a circular packaging solution, meaning there is no waste and all plastic is kept in the economy.’ The brand’s innovation has taken two years to come to fruition, although it notes that further progress is still to be made on the bottle caps, which remain largely unrecyclable.

While some brands are shunning plastic altogether, Evian’s innovation is an example of how a change in design can boost the lifecycle of certain materials. In our viewpoint with Jimmy Macdonald, founder of London Design Fair, we explore the ways in which plastic can be reframed as positive.

Evian

Stat: Cinemas still hold appeal for Generation Z

Selfridges Cinema, London

Global – A new global study by market research firm Dynata reveals how the post-lockdown attitude to cinemas differs across demographics.

As Covid-19 predominately affects the older generation, Generation Z and Millennials are more likely to re-engage with public entertainment. Out of 11,322 interviewees conducted for the Covid-19 edition of Dynata’s Global Consumer Trends report, 60% of Generation Z and 49% of Millennials say they plan to go back to the cinema as soon as possible.

Comparatively, the likelihood of wanting to see a film at a cinema decreases with age: only 42% of Generation X and 37% of Baby Boomers are planning to return as soon as they re-open.

With potential for Generation Z to become the prime audience for cinemas and film marketers, the film industry needs to cater increasingly for their visual language.