Planet Ark established National Recycling Week back in 1996, and every year in the second week of November, they use this campaign to educate people "on the waste hierarchy – reduce, reuse, recycle" encouraging people to minimise strain on finite resources.

This is something we are passionate about at National Geographic Wear. Circularity in particular is an important practice we have woven throughout touchpoints in our store design.

Here are a few practical examples of how recycling, repurposing and reinventing materials have come to life through National Geographic Stores in Australia. 
National Geographic Wear x Upparel
We worked with Australia and New Zealand’s leading textile recycling company, Upparel to produce our seat cushions through their textile reuse and repurposing process. In order to ensure the entire project was circular, the Upparel team collaborated with local upcycling brand, Into Carry, to create an outer shell for the cushion using repurposed PVC curtains.
National Geographic Wear x Arch & Hook hangers
Our BLUEWAVE® hangers created with Arch & Hook are made from 100% recycled ocean bound plastic, marine plastic and recycled post-consumer plastic, collected predominantly from four of the most polluting rivers in the world. At the end of their lifespan BLUEWAVE® hangars can be recycled to make new hangars, meaning they are completely circular.Tote Bags
When you purchase from a physical National Geographic Store, we offer re-useable tote bags in lieu of single use shopping bags. Our tote bags are made from 65% recycled cotton and 35% recycled PET. They feature the iconic yellow portal printed onto the bag using an eco-friendly heat transfer process. National Geographic Store tote bags are designed to be durable, kept and re-used.
Mannequins
Made from recyclable bio resin and viscose fibres, all our mannequins are circular in design. This ensures durability and an extended life span in the reusable cycle of materiality.

National Geographic Wear x RMIT School of Design 
The iconic National Geographic yellow portal that features in each store has been developed as a 3D printed object with the School of Design team at RMIT University, Melbourne.
Utilising a corn-based PLA to match National Geographic’s iconic yellow, this material is also the first bio-based material to be used on an industrial scale. PLA’s origins from renewable resources, its high strength and heat resistance and its ability to be recycled and composted make it an ideal product for this application.
The unique design process of the portal, demonstrates the power of science and research and how it can contribute to a more progressive and sustainable future.

In-Store Digital Screens
An honourable mention to our digital visual display screens in-store that alleviate the need for excessive physical and single-use collateral to communicate with our customers.

Read more about our commitment to the environment through supporting exploration, innovation and conservation here.

National Recycling Week is from13 - 19 November, 2023
Discover more and get involved here