A circular pioneer project in Retail

In may, we openend our very first Globetrotter Re:Think Store. The special thing about it: We have taken over almost all of the furniture from the previous tenant (Conrad Electronic) and used it in a creative way. Furthermore, we’ve utilized almost only used materials while setting up the store. Our own repair workshop, the second-hand department (buying & selling) and the rental service for outdoor equipment round off the sustainable store concept.

We even invited the international research & consulting institute EPEA to monitor the project to find out exactly how much CO^₂emissions and materials we saved. One of the main findings: The project saved around 97 percent of CO_².

A completely new store, furnished exclusively with old inventory and materials - that is the concept of the Globetrotter Re:Think Store in Bonn.
The scrap bear in the entrance area was built exclusively from leftover materials.
Old shelf brackets from Conrad and discarded ropes were used to hang clothes.
The checkout counter has already been used in the Globetrotter Store in Stuttgart.
In the “clubütte”, a space for events and workshops, old furniture from the Globetrotter Store in Munich and old materials from the Conrad store were re-used.
The test track for hiking boots was built from various leftover materials.
Small information signs explain where the various materials come from.
Backpacks are now presented where vacuum cleaners used to be.
Even the old carpet from the Conrad store was reused.
Curtains for the changing rooms were made from old advertising banners.
Various sustainable services are offered, such as care and repairs, equipment rental, 2nd hand and A greener choice products
In Bonn's Re:Think you will find Globetrotter's largest 2nd hand department to date.
A limited collection, made of discarded equipment, was designed for the store opening.

Globetrotter based the concept of the Re:Think Store on the principles of the circular economy: the space and furniture of the previous tenant were taken over and almost all existing materials were reused. Missing materials were taken from the company’s own stock or bought second-hand. Only in very few cases, where there were no other options, we had to deviate from the Re:Use-concept: For instance the lighting was replaced by modern, more energy-efficient technology. »By consequently reusing the old inventory, our Re:Think Store is a true pioneering project,« says Globetrotter CEO Andreas Vogler.

„One of the most sustainable approaches is to use things that are already there. It requires courage and pioneer spirit to take this path. But the results of the scientific study of our partner EPEA show that it has been worth it.“
Andreas Vogler, CEO Globetrotter

In 2022 we got the chance to move from our old location in Bonn to a former store of Conrad Electronics. From the start we had the idea to furnish it with used materials as much as possible: »During the first inspection of the property, I was driven by the thought: We have to change! Ripping everything out and building a new store from scratch – that can’t be the right approach in future,« Globetrotter Managing Director Andreas Bartmann recalls. »I am proud of the whole team for how this was implemented.«

How much CO2 and new material were actually saved due to the reuse-concept is being scientifically evaluated by the experts from EPEA. As a pioneering circular economy project in retail, the Bonn Re:Think Store provided the impetus for the “Circularity Passport Interiors”, or CPI for short, newly developed by EPEA.

„The Interior Circularity Passport makes transparent how the shop is performing from an ecological point of view. At the same time it is a good basis for us to further improve our sustainability performance .“
Fabian Nendza, Sustainability Manager

Circularity Passport Interiors and key findings

As a pioneering circular economy project in retail, the Bonn Re:Think Store provided the impetus for the “Circularity Passport Interiors”, or CPI for short, newly developed by EPEA. The CPI is a tool to evaluate the implementation of the Cradle-to-Cradle design principle in the field of interior design.

The key findings of the EPEA Monitoring:

By reusing existing inventory and materials, a total of 102.23 thousand kg of CO^₂ emissions were avoided
This corresponds to 97.15% fewer CO2e emissions
93.91% of the used materials were reused
87,76% of the materials can be reused in another project

Do you want to learn more?

Check out our Sustainability Podcast „Neue Horizonte“ (german)!

In Episode 15, we talk welcome Markus Diem and Victor Hasselbring from the EPEA, who have supported the process scientifically from the beginning.