ReTuna – Sweden’s First Ever Secondhand Mall
The entrance to ReTuna Mall
At a time when the hypnotic appeal of mass consumerism is seeping into the most remote corners of the world, a Western country is making a return to the planet-friendly simplicity of the past.
Sweden is one of the most developed nations in the world, with a Human Development Index (HDI) ranking of 7. In recent times, though, it has garnered more even more praise for committing just 1% of household rubbish to landfills. This is achieved not only through waste reuse and recycling but also by fostering a less wasteful lifestyle and culture.
The perfect example of this approach is ReTuna Återbruksgalleria (ReTuna Recycling Gallery), an entire mall that deals exclusively in second-hand and green products.
Giant Strides in the Right Direction
In 2015 the ReTuna Recycling Gallery won the Prevention of the Year prize at the Swedish Recycling Awards competition. Pictured is Anna Bergström, the Mall Manager.
Forget about that time you visited a secondhand shop and were less than impressed – ReTuna Återbruksgalleria takes reuse to an entirely new level. The bright, airy complex seems to have recycled its layout plans from the other Swedish powerhouse, Ikea.
There are no musty, dusty displays – artisans work on their masterpieces on the premises, demonstrating the skill and finesse that goes into every item for sale. All the materials for every product in every shop are sourced through the mall’s management.
ReTuna has 14 specialist shops that offer a wide range of products. From technology and gadgets to environmentally-friendly moving boxes, from home and fashion accessories to baby gear, even plants and flowers and everything in between, you are bound to find something you love here. On the other hand stores that sell perishable items like food or skin care products that cannot be made from recycled materials must show that their stock is climate-smart and ecologically-produced.
ReTuna’s management is trying to diversify even more and is currently seeking proposals from eco-hairdressers, organic beauty care product specialists and craftsmen.
An old vase been redesigned with old used leather
ReTuna is purpose-built right next to the city’s recycling centre and its design incorporates facilities for people to drop off unwanted items. So there is never a shortage of raw materials. The centre’s staff, workers and stall owners will then repair, redesign and finally resell the items. While the sales do help to pay the bills, ReTuna is much more than a place of business; it is a powerful vehicle for green education and what it terms a “circular economy”. Special events, workshops, lectures and themed days with a focus on sustainability are a daily affair. There is even a design school imparting skills on redesigning and repurposing items that others no long want, and turning them into objects of art and décor.
There is a constant flow of visitors, both local and international, that generates publicity not just for the mall but also for a shift towards a green mindset. Whilst ReTuna experienced early growing pains when it first opened its doors in 2015, it has come of age and last year the mall posted sales of secondhand goods amounting to $1.3 million. Not a bad way to meet the demands of modern consumerism and yet save the environment. ReTuna Recycling Mall and ReTuna Recycling Center are run by the municipal-owned company Eskilstuna Energi og Miljö (EEM) that is tasked with conducting competitive operations in the energy and environmental fields
We Each Have a Part to Play
The Universe works in mysterious ways, and each of those ways is a delight to discover. Consider, for example, how it has placed inside all of us a mechanism that generates pleasure when we do good deeds.
Environment Minister Karolina Skog visited ReTuna February 2018
We all experience this, regardless of where we are born, the nature of our upbringing, or any other factor. It is the universe telling us that we are on the right path.
If you would like to help Tsem Rinpoche in our efforts to fight unnecessary waste in all our lives, perhaps you can visit the Bigfoot Universe store in Bentong. Like ReTuna, it focuses on up-cycling and recycling so we reduce the wastefulness of modern existence.
Infuse your life with the positivity and joy of knowing that your efforts are nurturing Mother Earth and strengthening our community.
ReTuna Återbruks Galleria
Address: Folkestaleden 7, Eskilstuna
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am -7pm, Sat-Sun 10am – 3pm
ReTuna’s website: https://www.retuna.se/
Email: info@retuna.se
More Images of ReTuna
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A very good idea as more and more people realized the harmful effect of household waste. Its seems that the reusing trend continues to gain steam in more countries all over the globe.
Great idea to sell things for Eco-friendly environment.ReTuna is taking up the responsibility as the citizen of planet earth to do what they can to protect our environment.Thank you very much for this good sharing.
This mall is trendy, stylish and attractive. Although it’s not popular, but if given enough timeframe, this idea will be the best solution for us.
Very innovative idea and interesting place that doesnt look like a second hand shop but a second hand mall that looks more like shopping mall instead. Great idea to sell things for eco-friendly environment. How great it would be if we can have malls like this all over Malaysia! Thank you very much Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this interesting and lively article!???✌️?☀️
Wow …. now, there is a shopping mall that is full of secondhand items includes DIY repair classes, organic food, clothing and a drop-off zone for unwanted items. Swedish shopping center sells only refurbished second-hand items. A very good idea as more and more people realised the harmful effect of household waste. Its seems that the reusing trend continues to gain steam in more countries all over the globe. Sweden has the world’s first recycling mall. It was designed to tackle Sweden’s problem of rising consumption. It would be wonderful more countries following this concept mall.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
We have heard of second-hand shop before but for most of us have not heard of second-hand mall. The ReTuna Återbruksgalleria (ReTuna Recycling Gallery) in Sweden is an entire mall that deals exclusively in second-hand and green products. It is a mall that is very environmentally friendly and it is very encouraging to see how much a mall can help to save our plant by influencing the way people shop.
ReTuna is taking up the responsibility as the citizen of planet earth to do what they can to protect our environment. The tenants in their mall are all selling recycled or second-hand items. For food and skin care, the business owners have to prove that their products are climate-smart and ecologically-produced.
How wonderful it is to shop in a mall like this. We have generated so much waste to our environment, we don’t need more. Instead of adding more rubbish, we should look at how we can reuse and reduce. ReTuna Mall prove to everyone that second-hand, reuse items can become the main stream too!