We were asked to design a ‘Carbon Concept Store’ for B Corp footwear brand Allbirds and iconic London department store, Selfridges. In the midst of a climate emergency, Allbirds wants to shake up the notoriously environmentally unfriendly fashion industry. Illustrating the brand’s own journey towards a net zero carbon future, the pop-up had to inspire the industry – and the consumers that support it – to take accountability for their carbon footprint.

In a fashion-industry first, in 2020, Allbirds started labelling each of its products with its individual carbon footprint. These groundbreaking carbon labelling practices also needed to be highlighted in the space we created.

The topic of carbon tracking is a particularly complicated one, and research shows that many consumers are still unsure of its significance. So, our first challenge was to create a space that presented shoppers with a visual representation of carbon and its environmental impact, in order that they can go on to make smart, informed choices about the products they buy.

Located in the heart of Selfridges’ ground floor, the Carbon Concept Store educates shoppers about carbon’s link to climate change, and why measuring its impact is so important. The space also sets out to prove that making products with a lower carbon footprint is possible, ultimately encouraging other fashion brands to take action for their emissions.

Three-dimensional carbon visualisations are placed throughout the space to bring the concept of carbon to life, while visitors are encouraged to interact with tactile displays of Allbirds’s suite of natural raw materials such as Merino wool, eucalyptus tree fibre and sugarcane. Incorporated in the design was a space dedicated to showcasing the Allbirds M0.0NSHOT – the world's first ever net zero carbon shoe. 

Aware that the pop-up also needed to be as sustainably produced as possible, we worked closely with our production partner, Practical Minds, to keep the CO2 score of the entire space to a minimum. Each step of the supply chain – from obtaining the raw materials and manufacturing, to transport and delivery – was taken into account, measured and offset.

The Carbon Concept Store is located in the Wonder Room on Selfridges’ ground floor, and will be open to the public from 3 July until 13 August. Why not head down and check it out for yourself?