Need to Know
01 : 11 : 21

Michigan – As labour shortages continue to hit global supply chains, apparel company Carhartt is encouraging individuals to join the American workforce with a campaign that pays tribute to the importance of manual labourers.

As Carhartt is one of the oldest workwear companies still around today, the brand is well positioned to join the conversation on the current labour shortage crisis facing post-pandemic North America. In a bid to help fill the 3m job vacancies in the country's manufacturing industry, the Fit for the Next Frontier campaign takes the form of a film featuring over 50 different tradespeople, including a farmer, a mechanic and a solar panel technician, each representing the new realities of a highly misunderstood industry.

Acting as a recruitment drive for skilled workers, the campaign is an example of how companies like Carhartt can use the language of American Values Marketing to reach everyday citizens. ‘We exist to serve and protect all hard-working people, and right now, we need them more than ever. That’s why for us, this isn’t just an ad, it's a call to action,’ explains Brian Bennett, vice-president of creative at Carhartt.

UK – Expanding beyond its roots as a multi-brand e-tailer, the luxury company is launching its own label for timeless staple products. The capsule collection, There Was One (TWO), includes high-quality basics such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, trousers and trench coats – offered in a simple colour palette of white, grey and beige.

Farfetch will introduce new items on a drop basis every few months, intentionally avoiding the pace of traditional fashion calendars. By doing this, the retailer is promoting the purchasing of investment items that don't require seasonal updates or adhere to trends – an idea we explore in our Bundled Buys research. ‘Through the course of the pandemic… we were watching these consumer trends shift away from ‘fashion fashion’ and more into investment dressing,’ explains Holli Rogers, chief brand officer at Farfetch.

While such wardrobe basics are more commonly associated with high street retailers, the collection sets an example to the luxury sector in how to support customers in making more conscious, long-term fashion decisions.

With the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) set to rise in the coming years, there is a crucial need for more charging points across Britain, according to analysts at New AutoMotive, who suggest that Britain needs to increase its installation of public charging points from 27 per day to 50 in order to meet demand for more eco-friendly vehicles.

Britain’s ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars is set to be introduced in 2030, followed by a ban on hybrid vehicles five years later. With this deadline looming, New AutoMotive claims that between 230,000 and 280,000 charging devices will be needed by 2035.

While large groups of consumers are making the switch to EVs, pain points such as a lack of charging points remain a core barrier to adoption. In response, future urban planners must prioritise convenient charging points as part of infrastructural developments.