News 22.11.2019

Need to Know

Patagonia transforms unwearable clothing, the founder of Wikipedia launches a social news network and why email marketers should consider DMs.

The Future Laboratory unveils Home Eatertainment

London – The Future Laboratory hosted its Food & Drink Futures Forum yesterday at our Elder Street HQ, where we presented the trends that will shape the sector in the coming year.

From New-wave Aperitifs to Next-generation Protein, we discussed how health and sustainability are investing the food and drink industry with a new sense of purpose. We also launched our latest food and drink macrotrend, Home Eatertainment, which explores how the home is set to play a renewed role in the way we eat, drink and entertain.

We also premiered our latest tribe, Kindred Diners, which profiles consumers on a quest to once again make eating pleasurable, convivial and thoughtful. To bring this to life, The Future Laboratory partnered with Blanch & Shock to create four desserts that each embody the different values of one of four of our different food and drink Tribes.

Due to high demand, we have organised a second date for our Food & Drink Futures Forum at the Corinthia London on 27 November. Tickets are now available in The Future Laboratory Shop.

Patagonia makes unwearable clothing wearable again

Patagonia ReCrafted, US

US – ReCrafted is a new fashion line made from garments that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Patagonia is transforming damaged goods into entirely new products at its Reno Repair Center in Los Angeles. In 2017, the brand launched Worn Wear, an initiative that invites customers to bring items they no longer want, which are refurbished and sold on an online marketplace.

The ReCrafted service, meanwhile, focuses on items that are beyond repair, turning them into a new collection that includes down jackets, sweaters, T-shirts and bags. The items, which retail for up to £250 ($327, €292), are part of Patagonia’s strategy to extend the lifetime of its garments and lower each item’s environmental footprint.

Patagonia is one brand leading the way in championing a Whole-system Thinking mindset, as well as being part of a bigger movement to reconsider the end of its products.

A news-first social network empowering its users

UK – Created by founder of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales, WT.Social is taking a stand against data-driven business models.

The new social network will not sell user data and relies on the generosity of individual donors instead of advertising. The platform is focused on news and will allow members to edit misleading headlines in an effort to combat fake news. Furthermore, articles will be shared chronologically, rather than appearing algorithmically.

To subscribe to the platform, members must pay £10 ($12.65, €11.45) a month or £80 ($101.20, €91.60) a year. According to Wales, WT.Social has amassed more than 200,000 users just days after its launch. ‘People won’t use it because it is WT.Social,’ the news site says. ‘Facebook, Twitter and other social networks make revenue based on how long you stay on their site looking at and clicking on advertising,’ said Wales in a blog post. ‘Our goal is not clicks but actually being meaningful to your life.’

As explored in our macrotrend Liberation Luxury, a new wave of Privacy Platforms are forming online as a way for consumers to regain control over digital media.

WT.Social

Stat: The text commerce opportunity for brands

Email is no longer the optimal way to reach consumers, according to the 2020 Mobile Consumer Engagement Study by Sinch. The global study found that 40% of consumers admit to having at least 50 unread emails in their inbox, while nearly one in 10 admit to having over 1,000. In addition, young consumers are savvy when it comes to spam – 40% of Millennials and Generation Z maintain a unique email address just for spam emails.

However, the report reveals an opportunity for brands to experiment with mobile messaging, as consumers are considerably less likely to leave unread text messages. Sinch found that just 4% of respondents have 50 or more unread messages on their mobile device.

Text Commerce has evolved since its conception in 2015, as brands turn to messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook to reach customers on a more personal level.

Previous News Articles
John Lewis reinvents pocket money for a cashless generation

News

John Lewis reinvents pocket money for a cashless generation

With physical pocket money becoming a relic of the past, John Lewis has introduced Nestlums, an interactive pet designed to teach financial literac...
Youth : Technology : Design
Sunnei and Mid/night 00.00 host multi-sensory pop-up

News

Sunnei and Mid/night 00.00 host multi-sensory pop-up

Milan’s retail scene took an avant-garde turn with the Sunnei x Mid/night 00.00 pop-up, running from 6 to 8 December 2024 at Corso di Porta Vittoria.
Retail : Luxury : Fashion
Positive Luxury partners with Briink to bring AI to ESG reporting

News

Positive Luxury partners with Briink to bring AI to ESG reporting

Positive Luxury, known for its Butterfly Mark sustainability certification, has teamed up with Briink, an AI-driven ESG solutions provider, to stre...
Luxury : Sustainability : Fashion
Stat: India overtakes China as the top source of international students for US colleges

News

Stat: India overtakes China as the top source of international students for US colleges

India has overtaken China as the top source of international students for US colleges, according to the Open Doors 2024 Report published by the US ...
Youth : Education : Society
Stanley 1913 and Lionel Messi unite for a drinkware collaboration

News

Stanley 1913 and Lionel Messi unite for a drinkware collaboration

Lifestyle drinkware brand Stanley 1913 has teamed up with football legend Lionel Messi for an exclusive, multi-year partnership that blends perform...
Sports & Leisure : Society : Food & Drink
Toteme opens pop-up store made from Hanji paper

News

Toteme opens pop-up store made from Hanji paper

Swedish fashion brand Toteme has unveiled Toteme Prototype, a pop-up store in Seoul crafted predominantly from Hanji paper – a traditional Korean m...
Retail : Fashion : Luxury
Pantone names Mocha Mousse as 2025 Colour of the Year

News

Pantone names Mocha Mousse as 2025 Colour of the Year

Pantone has unveiled Mocha Mousse (17-1230) as its Colour of the Year for 2025, a rich, chocolatey brown that embodies warmth, comfort and the grow...
Design : Advertising & Branding : Society
Stat: Anxious times prompt booming bible sales

News

Stat: Anxious times prompt booming bible sales

Rising societal anxieties such as economic instability and geopolitical tensions have fuelled a 22% surge in US bible sales in 2024.
Society : Youth : Religon
Sonic Heirloom explores preservation of memories through sound

News

Sonic Heirloom explores preservation of memories through sound

Design studios Map Project Office and Father have unveiled Sonic Heirloom, a speculative project exploring the intersection of sound and memory.
Design : Health & Wellness : Technology
Merit and Completedworks unite for sculptural jewellery line

News

Merit and Completedworks unite for sculptural jewellery line

Merit and Completedworks have unveiled their limited-edition jewellery collection to complement Merit’s debut fragrance, Retrospect.
Fashion : Luxury : Beauty
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