As in most mature consumer markets across the planet, sustainability and recycling have become significant driving factors in South Korea‘s flourishing economy, shaping the retail sector and the way people shop along the way. Barcelona-based bag brand Nukak was founded in 2016 by entrepreneurs Patricio Abreu and Pedro Ribosa who set out to create bags and accessories from reused materials, most notably discarded PVC advertising banners. Mind you, the name Nukak is inspired by the very last eponymous nomadic tribe living Colombia‘s pristine Amazon rainforest, and the brand defines itself by giving discarded materials a new lease on life.

The company has now entered the booming South Korean market with a flagship store in Seongsu, a new and fast-emerging shopping district in Seoul. The flagship store, dubbed Nukak CASA, store occupies a 297 sqm. (3,197 sq.ft.) unit in the basement of a former industrial building. It’s actually the very same location of the much-publicised Pan Am store which opened last year and which we covered in a previous post. The interior design, created by Seoul-based architecture practice unseenbird, is inspired by Nukak‘s elaborate products range, and as such, the various display units have been the starting point of the setting’s chosen aesthetic.

The displays and shelving units are largely crafted from aluminium profiles, and in some cases, also combined light timber, creating a utilitarian style which is very compatible with the building’s architectural legacy. As Nukak‘s accessories can be customised with different materials selected at the store, there’s a separate, slightly elevated section where shoppers can browse at leisure and have their personalised item of choice created. Here, furnishings included metal communal tables paired with stools paired with a backdrop of wall-mounted shelving and cabinets. The newly opened Nukak CASA stocks the brand’s full range of bags and accessories.