New York based luxury loungewear collection nuhü division announces the launch of their sustainable retail pop-up for the holidays. Located at 426 W. Broadway in Soho, the brand’s first brick-and-mortar project will be completely plastic free, a continuation of their overall efforts towards sustainability.
Since the brand launched in 2020, nuhü division has committed to several environmental practices including the use of Organic Content Standard (OCS) certified cotton, Oeko-Tex® certified dyes, 100% recycled packaging, and eliminating the use of plastic throughout their entire manufacturing and distribution process; even the packing tape used to ship orders is plastic free.
Image courtesy of Cartonlab and Studio Animal
In order to create an eco-friendly and dynamic store design, nuhü division teamed up with two Spanish based firms, eco-design firm Cartonlab, and the award-winning design agency Studio Animal. Cartonlab is a leading company in the structural design of cardboard spaces and furniture, and Studio Animal is a benchmark office in the retail world with its innovative and colorful designs. The production team at Cartonlab specializes in high-impact event and store design using 100% recycled cardboard that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The cardboard material is used for its versatility, light weight, and as a far more sustainable option over traditional building materials.
“Compared to other materials such as wood, plastic or metal, cardboard is hard to beat! It is incredibly lightweight, allows cost-time efficient production, easy to transport, and also easy to assemble. In addition, cardboard is quick and easy to work with, which means faster reaction times and more possibilities of design. Lastly, as a recycled and recyclable material, cardboard will keep ensuring low costs in the future,” says Pablo García Mora, Co-Founder of Cartonlab.
Image courtesy of Cartonlab and Studio Animal
The result is a wholly unique storefront design for apparel retail that plays into the bold color schematics that nuhü division has become known for. Brightly colored, asymmetrical cardboard “frames” will be layered throughout the store to create an optical illusion similar to that of reverse embroidery or children’s crayon etching but in a three-dimensional form. Walking through the space will feel like taking an exploration through a geometric, skeletal cave colored in rainbow, as one transitions from one section to the next.
“The nuhü division pop-up is a space that generates a memorable experience, it is an installation that immerses the visitor in the nuhü universe. The project enhances the geometry of the store, which is narrow and deep, working with perspective to generate a powerful visual game from the street. It’s a chromatic and spatially powerful space that’s sure to be a fantastic experience. We believe that it will be difficult to pass by and not feel attracted to enter,” says Javier Jiménez Iniesta, head of Studio Animal.
The colors will also reflect the company’s color palette for the 2021 Holiday season.
Image courtesy of Cartonlab and Studio Animal
“Color is such an integral part of our brand DNA and what we are known for. We literally print each garment with its respective color code from Coloro. With our first retail store, we want to make color the very first thing that customers see. We want to surround them in color from the moment they see the storefront all the way through to the fitting rooms and checkout. With Cartonlab and Studio Animal, we were able to create this experience in a way that is effective, efficient, and eco-friendly,” says Bernice Bai, CEO of nuhü division.
The pop-up shop will open to the public starting Friday December 3rd, 2021. Hours will be daily from 11am-7pm through the holiday season. Please visit nuhudivision.com for more information.
ABOUT nuhü division
Every stitch from nuhü division is imbued with the bright, vivid colors and spirit of city life. The sustainable loungewear collection uses high quality production, eco-friendly manufacturing, and is made and packaged with ZERO plastic! The material is French terry and made from OCS certified organic and recycled cotton, and colored with low-impact, non-toxic dyes. It’s perfect for those looking for a luxurious leisure experience without sacrificing our planet.