06 : 12 : 19 : Weekly Debrief

1. A luxury eco-resort made from 3D-printed sand

Mozambique – The Kisawa Sanctuary Hotel uses design to integrate itself into the natural environment.

The resort, built from 3D-printed sand, is setting a new standard in sustainable design. Set to open in 2020 off the east coast of Mozambique on Benguerra Island, the hotel offers 12 bungalows set across 300-hectares of private beach, forest and sand dunes. Each house includes a personal beachfront, swimming pool, massage hut and electric vehicles to get around the island.

With prices starting at $5,500 (£4,202, €4,964) a night, the hotel encourages eco-tourism among high-spending luxury consumers. To connect culturally with the area, local designers were brought in to implement Mozambican weaving, thatching, carpentry and textiles within the 3D-printed sand structure.

Although eco-conscious hotels have long existed as a niche within the hospitality industry, HNWI consumers are increasingly looking to offset their impact.

3. Uzza embraces vertically integrated inclusivity

Barcelona – A diverse business model is integral to this new skincare brand’s ethos.

Containing natural ingredients that are sustainably sourced in Morocco, Uzza is building a range of cosmetics that can be customised to different skin types. The brand’s first product, the Open Sesame gel to milk cleanser, has been formulated with sesame oil to gently cleanse the skin and remove make-up.

In order to create products for all skin types, diversity is central to Uzza’s company DNA. Rather than relying on models to represent diversity in its campaigns, the brand is rooted in the concept of vertically integrated inclusivity, with a multicultural and gender-diverse workforce behind its products. ‘We are creating a safe space for all gender expressions, identities and skin tone,’ the brand states on its website. ‘We trust, respect and engage conversations with our community.’

Uzza is joining the beauty sector’s growing conversation about holistic diversity in the workplace. Read our interview with Bridgette Howard, founder of Parlor West Ventures, for more.

5. A dog food brand for dogs, not fur babies

UK – Itsdogfood.com is fighting back against the patronising nature of modern pet food branding.

When designing the brand identity, creative studio Robot Food wanted to address the ‘barking’ pet food industry head-on by marketing its products as no-nonsense and transcending typical dog food campaigns that focus on buzzwords such as artisanal, organic and holistic. Instead, the brand is straightforward in its messaging, offering a more nutritious alternative to manufactured protein-based wet food, while keeping prices competitive with a direct-to-consumer subscription model.

‘Our competitors seem to over-justify their high price points by patronising and guilt-tripping dog owners with cutesy animations referring to ‘fur babies’ or describing dogs as ‘ancestral wolves’ that require a primal diet,’ says founder Craig Wallace. ‘We wanted to remove the BS and democratise better quality dog food as the main barrier to trading up until now has been price.’

In a market in which consumers spend billions on their pets, the brand is demonstrating an Anti-authenticity Marketingapproach to pet food branding.

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