Six new stores that promise you pure shopping pleasure

Shopping fun with a clear conscience  

When was the last time you went on an extensive shopping spree? A long time ago? Then it's about time! Because there's a whole range of new stores to discover in Düsseldorf, offering everything from fashion and sneakers to cosmetics, furnishings and food. The best thing about it: you'll find things there that are not just desirable because they look great, smell good or taste good. In the new generation of stores, sustainability is also taken into account - in a variety of ways. This means you can go out with your friends with a clear conscience, browse with pleasure for things that will change your look, beautify your home or simply reward yourself after a dry spell. A tip: you'll find three of the new arrivals in the Altstadt and three in Flingern. If you start in the center in the morning, you can treat yourself to lunch at newcomer Ghorban Delikatessen and then visit the other stores in Flingern. Finally an extended shopping day again! Bet you'll find what you're looking for!  

Soap manufactory Klar 

They still exist, the good things. But sometimes you don't know where. Manufactum has a selection of the traditional Klar soaps in its range. However, fans of the cosmetics brand, which was founded in Heidelberg in 1840, have so far been looking in vain for a comprehensive range in Düsseldorf. That is now a thing of the past. The soaps, most of which are still made by hand in Germany using traditional recipes based on vegetable oils, are now available in the soap manufacturer's own store on Mittelstraße. And it's not just soaps for washing your hands that await you there. In addition to the classic curd soap, which is suitable for showering and bathing, but also for treating stains or washing dishes, there is a selection of different hand, body and bath soaps as well as solid hair shampoos, conditioners and shaving soaps. "Our soaps are rolled five times instead of three, which means they last longer and don't break so easily," explains store manager Christine Frenzel, a state-certified beautician. A two-person household can get by with one 100-gram bar of hand and body soap for around two months. In addition, special facial soaps are available for different skin types, which could replace liquid cleansing products. And one thing is clear: plastic-free packaging is a must.  

Ghorban delicacies 

That's what's missing here! Company founder Ramin Ghorban has been developing and selling his Mediterranean specialties in Wuppertal for more than 15 years, and now there is a branch on Düsseldorf's Heinrich-Heine-Allee. Ghorban's manufactory is a family business, and the search for the best raw materials and product development are a matter for the boss. "We select our raw materials personally and very carefully. We take the time to regularly visit our agricultural partners on site," says Ramin Ghorban, who started out as a trader before moving into his own production. "Almost naturally, given our standards," says the boss. "Most of our producers work according to strict organic principles." The high shelves and expansive counters are home to excellent wines as well as fresh products such as fine cheeses and salami, ham, antipasti and fresh amarettini. "New ideas for refining our products often arise when we cook and eat together." This touch of Mediterranean lifestyle, which now wafts through Heinrich-Heine-Allee thanks to Ghorban and can also be enjoyed on site, is very welcome. 

Camper  

The Camper store on the corner of Neustraße and Flinger Straße is new - unlike Camper itself. The history of the brand dates back to 1877, when the trained shoemaker Antonio Fluxà traveled from Mallorca to England and returned to the island with the first mechanical shoemaking machines. In 1975, his grandson Lorenzo Fluxà founded the Camper brand with the promise of producing timeless, high-quality products with minimal social and environmental impact. Today, almost 50 years later, the shoes are still being developed in Inca, in the rural heart of Mallorca. Although not a designated "green" brand, Camper has repeatedly positioned itself sustainably in recent decades, for example with the "If you don't need it, don't buy it" campaign from 2000 or the "Wabi" model, which is made from just one single plastic and can therefore be completely recycled. Since 2013, the label has also been a member of the Leather Working Group to ensure that the tanneries selected by Camper work according to ecological guidelines. Also worth mentioning: the "Second Life" program, which allows you to send your worn shoes back to Camper for recycling. One result is the "ReCrafted" line with unique pieces created from worn, returned or faulty models. Just give it a try: Hand in your old Camper shoes to the store and you will receive a shopping voucher for 10 euros. 

Sneakers Unplugged  

If Camper is committed to recycling, the owners of Sneakers Unplugged swear by alternative materials in particular. Sometimes the uppers of the cool sneakers are made from industrial corn waste, sometimes apple, cactus, pineapple or grape leather is used. The store has been on Lindenstraße since June of this year. And word is slowly getting around that the shoes waiting on the wooden shelves here are perfectly compatible with ecological principles. The owners Reya and Christian Ohm, who already have branches in Berlin, Münster and Cologne, have a good nose for interesting brands. In addition to the pioneers Veja, they promote labels such as MoEa, a vegan label from Paris recommended by Peta, whose shoes are handmade in Portugal. Saye, on the other hand, comes from Barcelona and plants two trees for every pair of its sustainable sneakers sold. The Frankfurters from ekn only use organic cotton, chrome-free tanned or vegan leather, nickel-free eyelets and recycled rubber. The Swedish brand Humans Are Vain is committed to the circular economy and is therefore anything but superfluous.  

koko selected 

In the store premises of a former hairdresser, where Birkenstraße crosses Hermannstraße, you will find a new gem of the Düsseldorf fashion scene. On the clothes rails of koko selected, lovingly selected, well-preserved second-hand clothing is mixed with a small but fine range of new sustainable fashion. The makers Pia Landwehr, Karla Schumann and Katrin Nordhaus got to know each other at elementary school. Their business studies took them to various German universities before they met again in Düsseldorf in 2018. "We've always toyed with the idea of starting a joint project," says Pia Landwehr. "Something that inspires us and that we fully support." In their store in Düsseldorf, they wanted to create a shopping atmosphere in which fans of second-hand fashion feel just as comfortable as boutique lovers. "We deliberately don't want to limit ourselves to certain styles, brands or price segments. We think it's all about the mix and are happy when old favorites find a new home with us," the three explain their philosophy. New vintage items are added to their range every day. So it's worth checking in regularly. 

Out of everyday life 

Rike Stephani has made a name for herself over the last ten years with her design concept store rikiki on Hermannplatz, and now the "logical consequence", as she puts it, follows: a store for furniture and interior design objects. Behind Out of Alltag on Flingeraner Ackerstraße is a stylistic concept that has what it takes to make you forget everyday life, if only because of its daring use of color. Stephani focuses on furnishings and a selection of brands that combine sustainability with design, and is not afraid to bring less well-known names into play. A beautiful and colorful example: the functionally designed sofas from Berlin-based label Objekte unserer Tage, which are made to order in every color of the rainbow. Adjustable lamps are available from Midgard, a company that has existed since 1919 and originally produced lamps for the Bauhaus. Hamburg designer Victor Foxtrot is known for his powder-coated tables, lamps and seating in flag colors, which complement the range congenially.

Cover picture: Düsseldorf Tourismus