UNIQLO, a Japanese brand considered to be one of the hottest retailers in New York, will open its doors to Dabawenyos today. The store conducted a special store tour and buying spree for special guests a day earlier and they did that not only with a bang, but also with a bag.
This denim bag is made of scrap materials from the free alterations offered by UNIQLO for store-bought jeans.
We’re talking about the denim bags made of scrap materials which UNIQLO distributed to its VIP guests earlier.
“Do you like the bag?,” asked UNIQLO Chief Operations Officer Katsumi Kubota when he saw us fiddling with the bag. According to him, the bag is so special because it is made of scrap materials collected daily as a result of the alterations being offered fo free for store-bought jeans.
The bag is, however, more than just a recycling story. It is actually UNIQLO’s way of empowering a community of women in Calauan, Laguna. The company’s partnership with ABS-CBS Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. paved the way for the Upcycling Project.
UNIQLO originally just donated used clothing to the foundation but it has innovated later on, from the idea of just giving these womenfolk fish, to teaching them how to fish. Today, UNIQLO donated not only pieces of scrap fabrics to these communities in Laguna, but also sewing machines to allow the women to sew the scraps into fashionable bags. The company then buys the finished products and attaches its world-recognized brand to the denim scrap bags.
Kubota said the Laguna women have made 300 of these denim scrap bags. The target is to come up with 1,000 upcycled denim bags which the company has commissioned to buy.
UNIQLO’s grand opening at SM Lanang Premier will be special since the first 50 customers to line up outside the store will be able to join the meet and greet with Ms. Universe Pia Wurtzbach.
UNIQLO is located at the Ground Floor of SM Lanang Premier
GRAND OPENING: May 26
