21 April 2023 |
Upcycled leather, recycled plastics, and bold colors galore.
When it comes to selling stuff to Gen Z, you’ll usually hear a trend forecaster attempting to predict the future with varying levels of success. But instead of trying to read their minds, why not just not ask them what they want? That’s what Coach did when they developed their Coachtopia line, a social media friendly collection of upcycled bags, shoes, and clothes. Launching today, the pieces are the result of a collaborative effort with their Coachtopia Beta Community, a group consisting of 120 Gen Z artists, climate activists, and creators across three continents who also happen to be superfans of the brand.
“We knew from the earliest days of Coachtopia that true circularity depends not just on making products without waste, but creating a global community that works with us to address the challenges we face,” the brand said via email. By asking this group to weigh in on everything from designs to content and campaigns, Coachtopia melds sustainability with a fun, colorful aesthetic in an authentic, desirable way.
On the materials front, the collection uses a mix of leather scraps leftover from the brand’s production as well as extra pieces from other tanneries that would have otherwise gone to waste. You’ll also find recycled polyester and cotton used for the totes, tees, and hoodies. Even the resin used on the straps and handles are made up of 70% recycled plastic from post-consumer waste. Plus, everything is created in a manner that can be disassembled in case of repairs or even reimagined into a new product. You’ll find removable hardware, detachable straps, or binding constructions that can be taken apart. To drive home the point of circularity each Coachtopia item can be returned to a Coach store for a credit which will be calculated based on its age and condition.
While upcycled creations can often come off looking, well scrappy, the Coachtopia pieces are comparable to the Coach mainline. Riffing off the brand’s classic hobo and crossbody styles, the bags are remixed in bright colors and patterns. Standouts include the Wavy Dink, a shoulder sling that comes in an array of hues and features a chunky recycled resin strap. Also guaranteed to be popular are the Ergo bags, with their checkerboard leather in shades like black-and-white, orange, and pink. You’ll also see festival season appropriate fare like tees, patchworked jean shorts and minis, plus sporty flat sandals and even a bucket hat.
To cap off their initial launch Coachtopia asked one of their community members, 25-year old graphic designer Sabrina Lau, to make a capsule collection. The bags, keychains, barrettes, and more feature her illustrations of cherries, mushrooms, strawberries, and more. Expect to see other drops based on community creations in the future as well as key faces from the group starring in the ads. Lau, along with actor Lola Tung, sustainable fashion designer Maya Penn, and TikTok creator and climate activist Caulin Donaldson (aka Trash Caulin) are among those featured in the campaign, further highlighting the dialogue between Coachtopia and their audience.
Coachtopia ranges from $55 to $425 and can be found online and in Coach stores starting today.
