Need to Know
06 : 10 : 20

By Savannah Scott, Gursharan Panesar and Abi Buller

A church rebranded as a creative hub, an environment receipt that breaks down the true cost of fashion, and Generation Z are engaging in philanthropic spending.

In today's news:

Hackney Church undergoes a religious redesign

Hylo’s minimal branding links sport and sustainability

This receipt reveals fashion’s environmental costs

Stat: Gen Z are engaging more in charitable giving

Hackney Church undergoes a religious redesign

Hackney Church rebranding by Omse, London

London – Design studio Omse has unveiled a new visual identity that rebrands Hackney Church as a ‘cathedral of creativity’.

To update the church’s aesthetics, the studio opted for a black, orange and white palette for signage and future ‘church merch'. The new logo takes inspiration from its stained glass windows and acts as an adaptable motif designed to fit the church’s various uses, which include a place of worship, a gig venue and a brewery. The campaign also features local residents who use the church for religious and non-religious purposes.

‘It became clear early on that Hackney Church wasn’t like any other church,’ explains James Kape, creative director at Omse. He added that the rebranding ‘needed to work for occasions ranging from formal and sobering to joyous and celebratory’.

In this way, the rebranding is designed to modernise religion and religious spaces. Discover more on this by exploring how creatives are re-imagining Christianity for Young Believers.

Hylo’s minimal branding links sport and sustainability

Hylo designed by Otherway, London

London – Design agency Otherway is supporting sportswear brand Hylo in achieving a shoe with sustainability at the fore.

Intentionally minimalist, the design of Hylo’s Running V1 shoe includes a sans serif logo and bolt-shaped motif to represent the power of nature, as well as the speed and lightness of the shoe. Otherway worked closely with Hylo to develop the brand, using seven natural materials and avoiding plastic. The brand also takes its name from the hylotelephium plant, a succulent more commonly known as the ‘live-forever plant’ – indicative of the shoe's longevity and eco-consciousness.

Hylo also avoids using colour in its design, recognising that artificial dye requires an additional supply chain. Speaking about the brand’s key principles, Jacob Green, co-founder of Hylo, said: ‘... the world certainly doesn’t need another synthetic trainer. The textiles industry currently accounts for more emissions than the entire aviation and shipping industries combined. This has to stop, now.’

As we explore in our Sustainable Footwear Market, the shoe industry is taking cues from fashion to achieve environmentally friendly practices.

This receipt reveals fashion’s environmental costs

Sweden – Swedish clothing brand Asket is allowing consumers to better understand the environmental impact of their clothing purchases through its new Impact Receipt.

Taking inspiration from traditional paper receipts, the initiative provides a breakdown of the environmental impact of each of the brand’s garments. By highlighting the amount of water and energy required to create each garment, as well as the CO2 emitted, the brand hopes that the receipt will prompt more sustainable purchase designs. As part of Asket’s mission of transparency, it’s also asking consumers to maximise the use of their clothing and not dispose of items after a short amount of wear.

‘We need to understand that we can’t shop our way out of the problem, no matter how enticing a brand's messaging is – we must acknowledge our impact, shop less and wear our garments longer,' says August Bard-Bringéus, co-founder of Asket.

Recognising the damaging impact of fashion on the environment, brands and retailers are transforming their sustainability initiatives to provide better education and transparency. For more, discover Sartorial Sustainability in our Innovation Debrief report

Impact Receipt by Asket, Sweden

Stat: Gen Z are engaging more in charitable giving

T Levels by the Department for Education

During Covid-19, Generation Z have donated more often than usual – and are planning to continue this charitable spending in the next three months.

According to research by Enthuse, some 84% of 18–24-year-olds have made a donation in the past three months. And while donations to support the NHS are to be expected during Covid-19, the data shows that nearly three quarters (73%) have also given to other causes. The report considers the rise of virtual event participation as a contributing factor in this rise, with nearly a third of 18–24-year-olds having joined a virtual event and engaged with associated fundraising pages.

Fuelled by digital participation, Generation Z are increasingly showcasing their values through ethical spending choices – something already being shown by Generation Alpha.