Ideas We Love: Re.Uniqlo Studio

Issue Number 34: Uniqlo's in-store service means Fast Fashion needn't be throwaway

Hi there. How are you?

The clocks have gone back and Christmas ads have started appearing on the telly. And whilst it is really tempting to write something about the new Waitrose ad (which is a really lovely thing, btw) we’re going to write about something else. An idea, which unlike the latest wave of Christmas-crackers, has been around for a while. A fact that is only too apt, to be honest.

The Idea: Uniqlo’s Re.Uniqlo Studio 👔 ♻️

A visit to the recently opened Uniqlo store in Coal’s Drop Yard led to a chance encounter with the brand’s Re.Uniqlo Studio. According to the brand’s website Re.Uniqlo Studio allows customers to repair, remake, reuse and recycle their clothes all so that people can enjoy wearing their Uniqlo clothes for longer.

Re.Uniqlo Studio was launched in 2022 at Uniqlo’s Regent Street store but began life the year before in Berlin as a pilot called Second Life Studio. After a successful launch, the offering has been rolled out to more branches across the UK and the rest of the world. Not only does Re.Uniqlo offer ‘a dedicated space for pursuing a new future for clothes’ but also represents a key part of the brand’s mission to shift 50% of it’s production to recycled materials by 2030.

Why we love it 💕💕

#1 Purpose into Action 💪

Uniqlo’s brand positioning is built around the philosophy of ‘LifeWear’ - and their stated corporate mission is to ‘unlock the power of clothing’. Their website tells us that this mission is underpinned by a belief in “simple clothing, high in quality, and built to last…clothing that enriches the lives of people who wear it by giving them comfort, protection and pleasure. It is produced in a way that is harmonious with nature, without excessive burden on the environment”.

This kind of stuff is pretty prevalent in the oblique world of corporate mission statements, what is less prevalent - at least at the level of mass-market, high street retailing - is evidence of a commitment to delivering that mission through consumer facing products and initiatives. And not only that, but in keeping with the mission statement - the focus of Re.Uniqlo is in providing something consumers might want and find value in rather than feel guilted into using, framing sustainability as a positive, easy choice to make.

#2 Global → Local → Seasonal 🌎 📍🍁

This is a big, global brand idea that will work in any country that Uniqlo operates in. Crucially though it’s also flexible enough to be adapted according to local or seasonal opportunities. The new Kings Cross branch collaborates with the nearby Central St Martins for example, with students from their world renowned Fashion programme providing embroidery designs tailored to that specific shop. Similarly, the brand uses cultural calendar - and events like Halloween - to inform the different design and customisation options they offer to consumers. Seasonal and collaborative cues ensure this idea has resonance wherever and whenever it’s on offer.

#3 Thinking out-loud 🧠 🧐

Matt Webb is one of our favourite bloggers. He’s just written a lovely thing about Nintendo bringing a weird alarm clock to market and how this is a great example of a company ‘thinking out loud’ - using product development as a way of learning how new strategies, new technologies and new routes to market might work in the real world. As we’ve said a few times before - at a certain point, ideas can be quite easy - it’s committing to the execution that can be the hard bit. The original ‘Second Life Studio’ pilot and the subsequent roll out of Re.Uniqlo Studio globally looks like a brilliant example of this kind of experimental mindset too.

What we’d love to do with it 💕

#1 ‘Circular’ Media ♻️

An obvious place to start would be the use of recycling in the media plan to promote Re.Uniqlo Studio. This could take two forms. Firstly, via the use of recycled materials in the media placements - so things like paper stock for print and small format OOH advertising and recycled vinyl for large format OOH. And then secondly, via the recycling of materials from advertising campaigns once the campaign has ended - turning vinyl from poster sites into bags or raincoats for example.

#2 Repairing other brand’s advertising 🛠️

Stuff goes wrong with advertising campaigns all the time. Ads get misprinted. Ads get put on display incorrectly. Adverts get damaged or fail due to the weather. We love the idea of Uniqlo tactically patching up the adverts that have gone wrong - helping restore the ad in question to their former glory, whilst building associations and awareness for their repairs service in the process.

#3 ‘Remixing and Reworking’ Culture 🔈

Recycling and Repairing is already well established in media and content via the idea of remixing. Uniqlo could promote the service through the lens of remix culture. A series of in-store events featuring local artists and musicians playing the music of the bands they admire…. Spotify playlists filled with remixes or reworks... Tiktok content that uses the platforms creative tools to create remix orientated around riffing on trending content…

#4 Extend Beyond Clothing 📲

Why stop at clothing? Could you take this into the world of accessories too? Watches, Phones, Jewellery, Bags, Purses, Wallets…. Uniqlo could dedicate space within their stores to selling refurbished accessories, giving new life to these products - creating new outfits in the process.

#5 Lead by example 🙅‍♂️

How might you take an idea like this and use it as a way to drive wide spread change for the entire clothing Industry? You might create the Re.Uniqlo market - bringing together other clothing brands under one roof to sell refurbished, repaired and recycled clothing. Alternatively, you could host an ‘alternative fashion week’ - an event running alongside the major Fashion week’s in Paris, Milan and London - that sees the best up and coming talent from around the world exhibit the most creative, imaginative uses of recycled and reused clothing.

If you like this, you’ll love

It only feels right that for an idea based on the idea of recycling, that we should take the opportunity to recycle content from some previous issues of IWL…..

Nike’s Air Max Day Car Boot Sale

As featured in IWL#10 - what we called a ‘sale promotion in brand builders clothes’ - we loved how this activation fused clothes, collaborations and urban culture to celebrate the iconic Air Max

Sounder’s Club Collection

Another favourite, this time from IWL#7 - a part of the new wave of Golf apparel brands, Sounder started selling refurbished clubs to their customers. Just like Uniqlo, this is a great example of experimental thinking, finding ways to pilot new product ideas in a scalable, manageable way.

Who Gives A Crap?

A brand built almost entirely on the idea of recycling… An irreverent maverick looking to challenge the hushed, conservative and very labrador driven world of Toilet tissue….

Until Next Time

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Until next time. Cheerio.

Tom & Matt x