Innovation of the Week is a subscriber-only series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team. Every week, we will bring you new ideas and case studies that link to the trends in our Retail Horizon 2024 reports – across consumer, technology, sustainability, and economy, policy and industry.

What is it?

Schuh partnered with Vintage Threads to rework 57 pairs of footwear into a capsule range of new creations to sell in its London Oxford Street flagship in celebration of Earth Day 2024.

The one-of-a-kind items range from jackets to handbags, reworked from donated shoes from Schuh’s Sell Your Soles scheme and damaged vintage items.

The collection formed a premium product display in Schuh’s flagship store, with the profit from each item going to its sustainability charity partner World Land Trust.

Customers purchasing the items received a token with a specific value corresponding to their purchase, allowing them to vote on where to locate their support. 

Why does it matter?

This unique circularity initiative puts purpose at the heart of Schuh’s flagship store, underpinning its sustainability commitments and giving customers the opportunity to browse and purchase unique and individual reworked items. 

“The partnership with Vintage Threads underscores our ongoing commitment to social responsibility. As we expand our responsible product offering, we are continuing to meet the demands of our conscious consumers, while helping to make more sustainable fashion choices, and through charitable donations to World Land Trust, we’re not only funding the future but actively protecting it”

Stephanie Legg, chief marketing officer, Schuh

Strategic implications

Engaging customers on circularity initiatives is a win for brands as interest in resale, repair and unique reworked vintage items increases.

Winning strategies

  • Sustainability and circularity initiatives
  • Personalisation and innovation

Retail Horizon 2024 is Retail Week’s exclusive strategic toolkit for subscribers. 

Across four in-depth reports, Retail Week research director Lisa Byfield-Green and our team of analysts explore the most significant trends that will shape the sector in the year ahead across consumer, technology, sustainability, and industry, economy and policy. 

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