Green Technology

A new type of clothing store is on the way.  And they have "green" baked into their business model!

"Early next year, Portland-based nau (Maori for “come to me”) plans to open four “Webfronts,” ... hybrid brick-and-mortar/online stores. ... products purchased online — whether at home or in the stores — will be shipped from a Portland warehouse to the consumer ...
...  each store’s comparatively small footprint will be roughly 40 percent more efficient than a traditional retail store, on a sales-per-square-foot basis, ... "

" ... business plan echoes a commitment to efficiency and environmental innovation ... Most of the company’s executive team hails from Nike Inc. ...  and Patagonia, companies renowned for the corporate social responsibility efforts. ..."

" ... headquarters is in a LEED ... Gold-certified building, ...  and nau’s Webfronts are designed to feature green building elements as well ...   the 120 clothing styles featured in nau’s initial spring line are set to incorporate recycled plastics, organic cotton, corn-based polyester and other environmentally preferable materials. The company is also seeking to design a “paperless, automated office,” according to a position announcement posted earlier this summer."

"But perhaps the company’s coup d’etat is its pledge to give 5 percent of its gross revenue to social and environmental groups. Shoppers will be able to use the Webfronts to select which groups get a share of the sale revenue. "


"Earlier this year, nau staff projected the company’s first line of products to be released sometime during 2007."

For more info see Nau's website   Link

Via:   Sustainable Industries Journal  Link