Smurfit Westrock creates retail store made entirely from cardboard

Smurfit Westrock joined forces with Spanish fashion brand Ecoalf to create a store made from 100% paper and cardboard.

Ecoalf specialises in turning materials such as plastic bottles, rejected industrial cotton and discarded fishing nets into clothing. The brand tasked Smurfit Westrock, which also has circularity at its core, to create a permanent retail store as inherently sustainable as the products on sale.

The beautifully designed new shop, which is located in San Sebastián, Spain, features fully recyclable kraft paper walls and corrugated furniture produced in the Smurfit Westrock Sorpel and Cordovilla plants. It also runs on electricity from renewable energy sources.

“We are very proud to open our first store built entirely from paper and cardboard. At Ecoalf, we work every day to minimize our impact on the planet, not only through the garments we design, but also through the spaces we create,” said Javier Goyeneche, Founder and President of Ecoalf.

“We want everyone who enters the store to experience the design and quality of the products, but also our philosophy. None of this would have been possible without our partner Smurfit Westrock, who shares our firm belief that doing things differently is possible."

“This new store illustrates our joint commitment to the circular economy. Creating it completely from natural resources demonstrates that it is possible to combine functionality, sustainability and aesthetics to enhance the customer experience,” added Ignacio Sevillano, CEO of Smurfit Westrock Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

“We share with Ecoalf the key principles of recycling and waste reduction that promote conscious and responsible consumption.”

The new store is located in the Gipuzkoa region of San Sebastián.