2022.11.29
Electrolux and Houdini collaborate for sustainable clothing care
With sustainability and circular business models in common, Electrolux and Houdini Sportswear are expanding their collaboration by opening a hub in Houdini's new flagship store on Kungsgatan in Stockholm.
In the hub, Houdini's store staff and customers will be able to refresh, wash and improve used garments using Electrolux washing and drying machines - this is an important step in extending the life of clothes, Electrolux states.
Electrolux has a multi-year collaboration with Houdini, where both companies actively drive innovations for the future view of lifestyle, food, clothing, clothing care and aim high to promote sustainability for both the planet and people. The companies run joint development projects and work together to inspire and spur each other to challenge conventions and design better solutions for the future, Electrolux announces.
Care, Repair and Reuse
Houdini's new store on Kungsgatan has areas for Care and Repair as well as a second-hand area called Reuse. The idea is to extend the life of clothes and offer alternatives to traditional ownership. The store also offers Rental, where consumers have the opportunity to rent their clothes instead of buying.
– It is incredibly exciting and fun that we continue to deepen our collaboration with Houdini. We have the same vision when it comes to promoting a healthier and more responsible view of clothing and clothing care. We look forward to continuing to create innovations together around clothing care and how we actually ensure that clothes stay in the system longer. We come from different parts of the ecosystem, but we both have a strong belief that it is together that we can truly overcome the major challenges facing the industry, says Tove Chevalley, Head of Innovation Hub at Electrolux.
The kitchen takes its place as the store's campfire
The store also features a fully equipped kitchen, developed in collaboration with Electrolux, that will function as a kind of urban campfire. The space is intended as a place to hang out, talk and exchange experiences.
– We are constantly exploring the possibilities of making things smarter, better, more beautiful and more sustainable. Our new hub will be a way for us to think differently about everything from consumption patterns to our purpose as a company. With the new store, we want to build relationships above all, which is a contrast to most of what is happening in the clothing industry today. With relationships come empathetic values that are about caring, nurturing and sharing both gratitude and love with each other. A purchase completely without a relationship or reflection ultimately only results in more clothes. And we don't need more clothes, we need clothes that can handle more, says Eva Karlsson, CEO at Houdini.
About Houdini Sportswear
Houdini is a diverse group of researchers, designers, artists and adventurers from Sweden with the goal of creating the circular functional clothing of the future. As a company led by women, innovators in sustainable design and pioneers in circular business models, Houdini has challenged industry norms since its inception in 1993. Ultimately, the aim is to inspire and contribute to re-establishing the bond between people and nature.
Text: Ola Larsson
