UNIQLO and
Our Town: Göteborg
UNIQLO has come to town.
Let’s take a stroll around Gothenburg, where UNIQLO set up shop in spring 2021.
- Illustrations by Adrian Hogan
- Photography by Hironori Tsukue
- Coordination & Text by Yumiko Urae
- Special thanks to Göteborg & Co, official tourist board of Gothenburg
This past spring, UNIQLO opened a store in another great town. Gothenburg, the second-largest city in Sweden, marks its 400th anniversary this very year. Walk down any street and you can taste the freshness in the air. The key to this, without a doubt, is the city’s comprehensive focus on sustainability. Gothenburg has the most eco-friendly public transportation around. Its buildings have been reborn through extensive renovations. Even the local amusement park produces its own electricity. Let’s take a stroll around this harbour town, as the sea breeze blows cool against our skin, and check out eight of its must-see locations.
This past spring, UNIQLO opened a store in another great town. Gothenburg, the second-largest city in Sweden, marks its 400th anniversary this very year. Walk down any street and you can taste the freshness in the air. The key to this, without a doubt, is the city’s comprehensive focus on sustainability. Gothenburg has the most eco-friendly public transportation around. Its buildings have been reborn through extensive renovations. Even the local amusement park produces its own electricity. Let’s take a stroll around this harbour town, as the sea breeze blows cool against our skin, and check out eight of its must-see locations.
UNIQLO Göteborg
Our Gothenburg store opened this past April on a corner of Fredsgatan, the main shopping street in the city centre. Both floors of the store are walled with glass, creating a spacious atmosphere filled with natural light. In addition to a special area showcasing work by local artists, the store also carries local brands geared toward sustainability, giving the selection a neighbourly feel. For more details, check out the column below.
- Fredsgatan 12, 411 07 Göteborg
- uniqlo.com/se/en/content/fredsgatan12.html
Sustainable
cruising!
New this April, electric boat rental service “Let’s Boat” allows visitors to zip around the city’s canals and inlets with ease, an experience not to be missed. No license is required to get behind the wheel of these fun boats, which can hold up to twelve passengers. Simply book online and hop aboard, toting your favourite drinks and snacks for a pleasant day of cruising. If wheels are more your thing, there are also 135 rental bike stations throughout the city. Another option is the tram network, a Gothenburg landmark first opened in 1879. With over 96% of transportation systems powered without using fossil fuels, you can offset your carbon footprint as you wander the city.
New this April, electric boat rental service “Let’s Boat” allows visitors to zip around the city’s canals and inlets with ease, an experience not to be missed. No license is required to get behind the wheel of these fun boats, which can hold up to twelve passengers. Simply book online and hop aboard, toting your favourite drinks and snacks for a pleasant day of cruising. If wheels are more your thing, there are also 135 rental bike stations throughout the city. Another option is the tram network, a Gothenburg landmark first opened in 1879. With over 96% of transportation systems powered without using fossil fuels, you can offset your carbon footprint as you wander the city.
Röhsska museet
Museum
A striking floor-to-ceiling display of legendary chairs from multiple generations of Nordic manufacturers can be found, quite literally, under the same roof in the basement gallery of the Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft. This historic design museum was founded in 1916 with the bequest of the Röhss brothers, who made their fortune exporting lumber and importing cotton. The museum’s archives contain over 50,000 items, from Chinese antiques dating back 4,500 years to contemporary iconic designs, putting in perspective how much tastes have changed throughout history. This year, the museum added to its local colour with a room devoted to Gustavian style, a historic mode of Swedish design. When you’re ready for a bite, St. Agnes Café specializes in vegan fare.
- Vasagatan 39, 411 37 Göteborg
- rohsska.se
Feskekörka
Fish Market
Built in 1874, Feskekörka (“Fish Church”) is an indoor fish market on the banks of the canal. Bearing characteristics of both Norwegian wooden churches and neo-Gothic churches, the market is a city landmark and a local favourite. Restaurants allow for visitors to sample fresh-caught seafood on-site. Though temporarily closed for renovations, the market is slated to reopen in 2022.
- Fisktorget 4, 411 20 Göteborg
- feskekorka.se
Kafé Magasinet
Cafe
For a good “Fika,” the coffee breaks that are such a vital part of Swedish culture, head to Cafe Magasinet. The glass rooftop solarium is a lovely place to catch as much sunlight as possible, especially on shorter days. The menu has a great selection of lighter fare, like pizza and open sandwiches. This too is a sustainable establishment: the kitchen uses biogas while the electricity is supplied by solar panels.
- Tredje Långgatan 9, 413 03 Göteborg
- kafemagasinet.se
Clarion Hotel Post
Hotel
A designer hotel set in a renovated post office dating back to the 1920s, the Clarion Hotel Post is a sight to behold. The decorations of the lobby include a British post box and a deconstructed Norwegian postal truck. Chemical-free cleaning 100% powered with renewable energy, a recycling plan for uniforms, and a water conservation system make this a thoroughly sustainable hotel. For the epitome of comfort, head to the high-ceilinged dining room on the second floor or the rooftop terrace and pool, which have some breath-taking views.
- Drottningtorget 10, 411 03 Göteborg
- clarionpost.se
Haga Area
Old Town
Much of old Gothenburg remains intact, but for a taste of history, start with the Haga Area. The buildings here were erected in the 1870s as housing for day-laborers. Their hybrid construction, where the first floor is made of stone while the second and third are wood, is the result of a loophole in fire safety laws of the day, which limited wooden homes to two stories. Today, the unique buildings of this historic quarter accommodate a variety of independent shops like TVÅLA & TVAGA, a soap specialty store purveying lush, fragrant house-brand soaps made with organic ingredients as well as colourful soaps from the Nordic countries and elsewhere in Europe. These fragrances will put a pep in your step after lots of walking!
- Haga Nygata 5, 413 01 Göteborg
- tvalaochtvaga.se
Röhsska museet
Museum
A striking floor-to-ceiling display of legendary chairs from multiple generations of Nordic manufacturers can be found, quite literally, under the same roof in the basement gallery of the Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft. This historic design museum was founded in 1916 with the bequest of the Röhss brothers, who made their fortune exporting lumber and importing cotton. The museum’s archives contain over 50,000 items, from Chinese antiques dating back 4,500 years to contemporary iconic designs, putting in perspective how much tastes have changed throughout history. This year, the museum added to its local colour with a room devoted to Gustavian style, a historic mode of Swedish design. When you’re ready for a bite, St. Agnes Café specializes in vegan fare.
- Vasagatan 39, 411 37 Göteborg
- rohsska.se
Clarion Hotel Post
Hotel
A designer hotel set in a renovated post office dating back to the 1920s, the Clarion Hotel Post is a sight to behold. The decorations of the lobby include a British post box and a deconstructed Norwegian postal truck. Chemical-free cleaning 100% powered with renewable energy, a recycling plan for uniforms, and a water conservation system make this a thoroughly sustainable hotel. For the epitome of comfort, head to the high-ceilinged dining room on the second floor or the rooftop terrace and pool, which have some breath-taking views.
- Drottningtorget 10, 411 03 Göteborg
- clarionpost.se
Feskekörka
Fish Market
Built in 1874, Feskekörka (“Fish Church”) is an indoor fish market on the banks of the canal. Bearing characteristics of both Norwegian wooden churches and neo-Gothic churches, the market is a city landmark and a local favourite. Restaurants allow for visitors to sample fresh-caught seafood on-site. Though temporarily closed for renovations, the market is slated to reopen in 2022.
- Fisktorget 4, 411 20 Göteborg
- feskekorka.se
Kafé Magasinet
Cafe
For a good “Fika,” the coffee breaks that are such a vital part of Swedish culture, head to Cafe Magasinet. The glass rooftop solarium is a lovely place to catch as much sunlight as possible, especially on shorter days. The menu has a great selection of lighter fare, like pizza and open sandwiches. This too is a sustainable establishment: the kitchen uses biogas while the electricity is supplied by solar panels.
- Tredje Långgatan 9, 413 03 Göteborg
- kafemagasinet.se
Haga Area
Old Town
Much of old Gothenburg remains intact, but for a taste of history, start with the Haga Area. The buildings here were erected in the 1870s as housing for day-laborers. Their hybrid construction, where the first floor is made of stone while the second and third are wood, is the result of a loophole in fire safety laws of the day, which limited wooden homes to two stories. Today, the unique buildings of this historic quarter accommodate a variety of independent shops like TVÅLA & TVAGA, a soap specialty store purveying lush, fragrant house-brand soaps made with organic ingredients as well as colourful soaps from the Nordic countries and elsewhere in Europe. These fragrances will put a pep in your step after lots of walking!
- Haga Nygata 5, 413 01 Göteborg
- tvalaochtvaga.se
Göteborgs Konstmuseum
Museum
The collection of the Gothenburg Museum of Art proudly includes works by famed nineteenth-century Swedish painter Carl Larsson and an assortment of Nordic fin-de-siècle art. Masterworks by Monet, van Gogh and Gauguin are also on view.
- Götaplatsen 6, 412 56 Göteborg
- goteborgskonstmuseum.se
Hasselblad Centre
Museum
Beside the Gothenburg Museum of Art is a gallery operated by the Hasselblad Foundation, named for the legendary camera manufacturer that originated in the city. You’ll have to check out the “moon camera,” a Hasselblad prepared especially for the Apollo Program and used to document the first steps on the moon.
- Götaplatsen 6, 412 56 Göteborg
- hasselbladfoundation.org
Taking Göteborg Home!
Hasselblad Tote
The perfect tote-bag souvenir! Befitting the birthplace of these legendary cameras, this bag is a masterpiece in its own right.
Mini Göteborg Chair
Kit for building your own miniature Göteborg chair. Based on chairs handmade by farmers in the town of Lindome since the 1840s.
Kalles brand cod roe paste
The taste of Sweden, this sweet and salty cod roe paste is a perennial favourite. Locals eat with eggs on toast.
Together for the Future
“I’m fond of looking out over the city and the harbour from Ramberget, the little mountain on the north side of the river. Without a doubt, this part of the ocean is my favourite,” says Anton, and Fredrik agrees.
These two are surely known by everyone in their hometown of Gothenburg as top athletes in the world of sailing.
As the world’s most eco-friendly city, Gothenburg is full of minimalist types who feel that when it comes to fashion, “less is absolutely more.” What can UNIQLO do for this town? In Anton’s view, “Aiming for simplicity, as well sustainability, is something our society ascribes a great deal of importance to. It’s almost a philosophy. The best system is to wear your clothes as long as possible, then refresh your wardrobe once you’ve worn them out.” Our new Gothenburg store is not only a place to shop, but a place to go for tips on getting the most out of your clothing. That’s why we’re offering eco-friendly detergents from Steamery, advocates of the “slow fashion movement,” and hosting programs where local students can make new clothing out of used clothes and fabric scraps accumulated by our in-house tailoring service, as part of our ongoing efforts to challenge ourselves to be more sustainable.
1. “SWE” graphic tee, in support of Swedish athletes. Sixty percent of the fabric is polyester made from recycled plastic bottles. Designed by Kosuke Kawamura. 2. Part of an upcycling project in which local students mix and match fabric scraps to give old clothes a new life. 3. Eco-friendly detergent from Steamery. 4. Illustration by local artist Mikael Selin.
- Anton Dahlberg (L)
- Fredrik Bergström (R)
Competitive Sailors
Based out of Gothenburg, these two have been a duo since 2016, competing in the two-person class (470), in which two sailors share a boat known as a dinghy measuring 470 cm. In March of this year, the pair took the gold in the 470 World Championships. Since 2019, they have been members of UNIQLO TEAM SWEDEN, aiding in the development of our UNIQLO+ series made using sustainable materials and methods, while participating in events designed to help the coming generation live an active, healthy lifestyle through sports.
