“Whether a pair needs a thorough clean or some TLC, our goal is to help them make their sneakers last,” the footwear brand said. Andres Kiger, VP, marketing Converse Global Partner Markets, said it’s a centre for self-expression for Converse All Stars – the brand’s loyal global community.  “Renew Labs is their new platform, a centre that welcomes those who stand up for what they believe in to create what’s next,” Kiger told Inside Retail.  “We know it’s not a new concept; our consumers have been repairing, cleaning, and customising their Converse [sneakers] as long as we have been making them. But Renew Labs provides a physical space for our Australian All Star community to come together and explore new ways to recreate, repurpose and reimagine a more sustainable future.” Demand for sustainable products Converse said its Australian customers have always expressed an eagerness for new sustainable products, hence why Fitzroy is the chosen location for the first permanent retail space of this concept. “The diverse and forward-thinking attitude of consumers in this neighbourhood made it the perfect place to establish this destination to bring these concepts to market,” Converse said.  The brand enlisted the help of Melbourne-based creatives Tamara Leacoc, Joshua Space, and Callum Preston as well as recycling project Precious Plastics and TreadLightly when designing the store.  The design features locally-sourced materials that have been upcycled, recycled or repurposed, such as planters crafted from recycled plastic waste, and a feature wall that doubles as a product display.  The store will also serve as a collection point for shoes that cannot be renewed, allowing them to be recycled into products like gym flooring through TreadLightly’s initiative.  In the retail space, customers can browse limited-edition customised Chuck 70s and an apparel collection that features Tamara Leacoc’s dye design. Community of All Stars Converse All Stars, the brand’s global community of customers, now includes over 3000 people from more than 30 cities, and the brand expects these individuals to play an ongoing role in the development of the store concept. The All Stars program was created to “accelerate youth progress” and the brand describes its members as “young, emerging leaders who champion change through creative action in sustainability, diversity, inclusion and belonging and youth development”. “Our community is a vibrant collective, and behind every action taken, they create progress for themselves and their community,” Converse said. The brand hasn’t ruled out expanding the concept to further locations but said that it will offer “relevant experiences to its customers globally”, whether through Renew Labs or something different.