Passengers passing through Dubai International Airport (DXB) can now buy fashion items that claim to be genuinely good for the planet. All thanks to the arrival of a large Pangaia store operated by Lagardère Travel Retail, located in Concourse B of Terminal 3.

The London-based brand—but moving to Switzertland—was founded on responsible materials science by Mira Duma. She possibly sees the airport and aviation channel as a way to get her message across to a broader, global consumer base. The choice of Dubai International is a good one as it is the world’s busiest international airport, and has been so for nine consecutive years including 2022 when it processed 66 million passengers.

In a statement, Duma said: “Since our inception, Pangaia’s mission has been to inspire and accelerate industry transformation towards an earth-positive future. With the support of our partners, we were able to create an experience connecting the traveler back to nature. She said the store would act as “a glimpse into the movement we are creating” which is focused on more responsible production and consumption.

Earth-positive is a slogan linked closely to Pangaia which acts as a global collective. It is a reference to a philosophy “to establish a way of life on our planet in balance with nature for all future generations.” That sounds like a tall order, but the company’s 2022 Impact & Science Report shows that it is making good progress.

Last year Pangaia became a B Corp, getting over the 80 points threshold needed with 84.5. It also launched the world’s first T-shirt made from 100% post-consumer cotton-rich textile waste followed by the NXT GEN Hoodie, powered by Spiber (a lab-growth protein fiber) along with nine new materials and three finishes through joint ventures, industrial partnerships and some proprietary patents.

Environmental messaging

At DXB, Pangaia is selling premium lifestyle products in almost 2,000 square feet of dedicated retail space. The entrance has a large concourse-facing digital fascia that offers clues as to what’s inside through the use of natural imagery and environmental messaging. Inside there is greenery via a custom-built terrarium as a central feature plus natural soundscapes and forest scents in the fitting rooms.

The store has used locally sourced finishes, natural materials and energy-efficient LED lighting for the fixtures and fittings. On the rails are what the brand describes as “high-tech naturalism” including organic or recycled cotton lounge wear, recycled wool and cashmere apparel, and plant-based active wear.

The brand’s trademarked Flwrdwn outerwear (an animal-free alternative to duck and goose down created using wild flowers and a bio-polymer), and Frutfiber jersey styles, plus a selection of Mirum accessories are available in-store. On the brand’s e-commerce site, a Flwrdwn trench coat costs $1,090 and a Mirum Airpod Pro case, just over $100, while Frutfiber T-shirts made with bamboo lyocell combined with pineapple and banana leaf fibers sourced from fruit production waste cost just over $80.

Pangaia’s launch also marks an important milestone for Lagardère Travel Retail’s operations at DXB. This is its first foray into retail at the Emirates hub, having developed a fairly extensive F&B portfolio up to now. Lagardère has strong fashion credentials in other global locations including a number of Spanish airports, plus Singapore Changi and Amsterdam Schiphol airports where it operates its Fashion Gallery multi-brand concept.

Entry into new verticals

Pangaia is altogether different. As a global collective of design thinkers, technologists, and scientists, it is establishing a new business model “led by science and purpose that puts the planet first” according to CEO Krishna Nikhil who joined the company in March 2022.

Before that, Nikhil spent four years at Ssense, a cultural and e-commerce platform based in Toronto, having previously been a partner at McKinsey & Partners for 11 years and a leader in the North American retail practice and the global apparel, luxury and fashion practice of the consultancy.

At Pangaia, Nikhil is working closely with the founding members of the company and its global teams to support the delivery of material science innovations, entry into new verticals, and expansion of digital and physical platforms, of which travel retail is the newest channel.

At Dubai Airports, the operator of Dubai International, executive vice president of commercial, Eugene Barry, said: “Our partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail and Pangaia enhances the airport consumer experience and reinforces our commitment to sustainable practices. By bringing this highly innovative brand to DXB, we aim to inspire travelers to make conscious choices and create greater awareness about the collective power of individual actions.”

Meanwhile, Pangaia’s B Corp re-certification looms in 2025 when the company aims to achieve a score of 100 and cement its earth-positive status.