EcoShowroom: bringing eco-ideas within your reach

The idea is a success. It was created at the suggestion of visitors and has proved its worth over the last year. We’re talking about ecoShowroom in Berlin that is a platform for eco-firms across the whole range of industry: food, cosmetics, fashion and design. The products are not only on display but on sale too. Since the beginning of this year, the company’s portfolio has included events that add to the showroom a communication and information facility.
(Picture: The founders of ecoShowroom Kati Drescher (right) and Nadine Valencic)
Eco-Showroom – in Almstadtstraße near Alexanderplatz – was opened on 26 November 2010. The starting point for the first eco-concept store in Berlin-Mitte was and is the PR and marketing agency sieben&siebzig GmbH. This firm was founded in 2004 by the former TV editor (VIVA TV, among others) and author Kati Drescher. Nadine Valencic – also a TV editor and journalist -joined her in 2007. The two women have specialized in organics and sustainability. “Our aim is communicate sustainability in all walks of life,” they both say. “We want to bring together eco-ideas, to offer innovative brands a presentation platform and also to interest the media in this whole topic area,” is how Drescher defines their activities.

In this context, she is particularly proud of the latest statement by the recently founded Finnish partner agency Sugar Helsinki, whose products can be seen in the display window. The Finns said they had looked Europe-wide for a trendy concept and had found what they were searching for at ecoShowroom in Berlin. A recent addition is KeepCup, the Australian manufacturer Kunterbunter (16,000 colour combinations), environmentally friendly espresso and coffee cups for coffee to go. (Picture: Open doors invite you to have a look round)

Stephan Becker, the managing director of the natural cosmetics firm Cosmondial (Benecos brand), whose products have recently been put on display in ecoShowroom, is pleased with the concept: “Benecos is seen as a lifestyle brand, so we feels it is in good hands in the lifestyle ambience of EcoShowroom. What’s more, fashion and cosmetics go together very well in the presentation,” he says. There are currently three natural cosmetics brands on display – Benecos, Dr. Hauschka and San Floriano. However, there still isn’t much food to be seen, although the Ayurvedic tea creations by Hari Tea and the herbs of Herbaria have been in the concept store for some time. You can clearly see the focus on eco-fashion in the portfolio of ecoShowroom: the Berlin eco-fashion labels Ansoho, Milde, Minga Berlin, Fahrer and Slowmo are supplemented by the bags and accessories of KSIA (Berlin) and eco-fashion by Rianne de Witte (Netherlands).

EcoShowroom came about, as it were, in response to demand. During the Berlin Fashion Week, the two owners kept the doors of their agency open to give interested media people and professional visitors the opportunity to get information on eco-fashion and sustainability. Eventually, enquiries by passing consumers were coming thick and fast: “When can we buy products here?” The idea of ecoShowroom was born. The agency moved to the back of the flat in the old apartment building and the two front rooms (ca. 60 m²) with display windows were painted in strong clay colours, and a comfortable environment was created with carpets and rustic solid wood (picture). In their best front rooms there’s plenty of scope for creatively re-

arranging things. And indeed this is what they do. By changing the presentation of the items on display, visitors are always discovering something new. About twenty firms are clients of the agency sieben&siebzig and potentially have a presence in the concept store. “Not all products are suitable in our display,” says Kati Drescher. “Our clients leave it to us – they appreciate that we make it possible for both the media and interested consumers to experience their products.” (Picture: The events are attended by a diverse public)

Kati Drescher explains that it’s not important for the consumer that a PR agency is behind the concept store format, although for people seeking information it’s a big advantage. “The shop operates as a trendsetter and represents an innovative, holistic and sustainable industry,” says Nadine Valencic. The circle is completed with the events offered by ecoShowroom that focus logically on the themes ecology, social issues and sustainability and range from social banking (picture above right: Ecobank), fair trade and eco-fashion to activities like Breathwalk and Trendwalk (picture on left) when they leave the colourful rooms of ecoShowroom in Almstadtstraße. A group of people, who have registered in advance, goes on a journey of discovery to innovative store concepts, trendy firms and trendy eco-gastronomes. Behind all this is the question: “How sustainably and with what ecological consistency can you live in the big city of Berlin?

Kati Drescher, Nadine Valencic and the team of three in the back office come to a positive conclusion after one year of ecoShowroom. “It’s an all-round success, and we’re very happy with what we have created here,” says Drescher. “We’re trying to do justice to the brands, the product stories, the content and eco-philosophy and to enable people to experience the products themselves. And we’re getting great feedback.

Tip:

http://www.ecoshowroom.de