Allbirds, the B Corp footwear brand, is launching in the Wonder Room at Selfridges, and its accompanying Oxford Street window, from 3rd July – 13th August. The 98m2 pop-up centres around the theme of carbon reduction, Allbirds’s North Star when it comes to tackling climate change. The space also serves as a signal to other fashion businesses to join Allbirds to make carbon accountability the norm, because ultimately, everything with a price tag comes at a cost to the planet.
Reducing and curbing the planet’s carbon emissions is key to solving the climate crisis, yet when Allbirds conducted a poll of close to 600 Allbirds customers on the topic of sustainability, they found that only 35% were confident explaining what carbon means. Using Selfridges as a platform, renowned for its environmental commitments, Allbirds spotted an opportunity to contextualise carbon and make it more tangible for consumers.
As the hero of the pop-up, a large, black sphere takes centre stage, representing what 1 kg of CO2 looks like. Alongside it, mini spheres appear next to a row of shoes, representing their respective carbon emissions. By using playful, visual cues and highlighting the brand’s own climate milestones, Allbirds wants to communicate the impact that carbon has in the fashion industry and how progress is achievable. Allbirds’s carbon footprint label, which it introduced in 2020, is also featured on every product. The brand’s vision has always been for carbon labelling in the fashion industry to be as ubiquitous as nutrition labels on food packaging.
To show that “nothing is possible”, Allbirds is showcasing the M0.0NSHOT prototype, its biggest innovation breakthrough to date, boasting a landmark carbon footprint of net 0.0 kg CO2e. Carbon negative, regenerative wool wraps the entirety of the high-top and will give shoppers a glimpse of what the future of fashion might look like, as the shoe has been completely reimagined with a carbon-first approach.
The space has been designed in partnership with creative agency HarrimanSteel, and production partner, Practical Minds. The pop-up uses locally sourced, low carbon and circular materials, such as FSC-certified plywood, recycled wool, recycled bouclé as well as Allbirds’s Plant Leather, a 100% plastic-free, 100% vegan leather alternative. 3D-printed balls that emulate carbon are made from plant-based materials, derived from crops like corn. The retail sta uniforms were created in partnership with London-based E.L.V. DENIM. The bespoke jeans are made from 100% upcycled post-consumer denim garments and the one-of-a-kind cotton

shirts are individually handcrafted from luxury hotel bed linen. As a carbon neutral business, Allbirds is measuring the carbon footprint of the pop-up and will balance the emissions by funding high impact carbon projects.