Anta opened its first carbon-neutral retail store, AntaZero, on Earth Day at 98 Wukang Road, to align with global sustainability trends and China’s dual carbon objectives, advancing sustainable retail practices in the country’s apparel and footwear industry.
Anta Group Executive Director and Co-CEO Lai Shixian and Anta Brand CEO Tsui Yeung opened the AntaZero store together.
Spanning approximately 4500 square feet, Antazero is a “community hub for sustainability,” offering retail space, art installations, and sustainability-focused workshops and literature. The store was “brought to life with the expertise of sustainable fashion consultant Dan Cui and his team, shown below, who integrated creative reuse practices throughout the store using waste generated from production processes.”
From the store’s concept phase, Carbonstop, a carbon management consultancy, conducted carbon footprint assessments and calculations for design plans, building materials, and display equipment to promote carbon reduction measures at various stages.
Throughout the decoration and construction process, measures, including using old cloth and patchwork fabrics for enclosures, preserving original walls and floors, purchasing second-hand equipment, and repurposing air conditioning and lighting fixtures, were used to achieve over “30 percent emissions reduction.” Building on these carbon reduction measures, Anta also invited the authoritative certification organization Bureau Veritas to perform “carbon neutral” certification for all process stages.
The store offers selected products that comply with Anta’s sustainability concept, including the newly released Anta Air Mecha running jacket and Anta Mach 4 running shoes, “which underwent carbon footprint assessment and received carbon-neutral certification,” said Anta. “For example, Air Mecha uses recycled materials in its design and extensively utilizes clean energy during production, resulting in an 11 percent reduction in emissions,” said Anta.
Anta reported that in the future operation of the store, the company will “adhere to the goal of sustainability in all aspects, including product design, production, packaging, retail, and consumer interaction. They will continuously employ sustainable operational methods, conduct thorough inspections, actively make adjustments, and fulfill their steadfast commitment to its ‘Zero Carbon Mission,’ to create a new retail model that is environmentally friendly and green.”
In 2021, the Anta Group established a “comprehensive ESG management system and formed a Sustainability Committee to enable the Board to oversee the ESG risks and opportunities to ensure the implementation of sustainable development strategies by all brands, business units, and function departments. At the same time, Anta formulated a series of management systems and policies for suppliers, promoting and improving sustainable development practices and performance of supply chain partners from multiple dimensions such as labor rights, health and safety, environmental responsibilities, and sustainable development management systems. Through top-down and bottom-up efforts, ANTA has continuously achieved phased results and made remarkable progress in implementing its sustainable development strategy.
“According to the latest ESG report released this year, in February 2024, Anta Group obtained a BBB rating in the MSCI ESG rating, rising two levels within a year, becoming the highest-scored company in the Chinese sportswear industry,” reported Anta.
Images courtesy Anta Group
