ReTuna Återbruksgalleria in Eskilstuna, Sweden is the world's first recycling mall

ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is a real one-of-a-kind. It is run by EEM, a company owned by the municipality of Eskilstuna, located 110 km east of Stockholm, Sweden and only recycled products are sold here. 


If you live anywhere near Eskilstuna, the capital of the Södermanland region in Sweden, go to ReTuna Återbruksgalleria for your shopping and to buy your Christmas presents because it's fully sustainable and it's the first recycling mall in the world.
The mall opened in 2015 next to the Retuna Recycling Center in Eskilstuna, is operated by the municipality-owned company, EEM and goes by the principle of the 3Rs: reuse, reduce, recycle. You can take your reusable items to the “return” depot where they will be sorted by category. Municipal staff will sort what is usable and what isn't and then send them on to the recycling shops in the mall which in turn decide which products to repair, convert, process and sell. So, it is way more than just a flea market or second-hand goods shop, because the products here are not only sold in single theme shops but are actually fixed and improved where necessary.
A business idea that works: in 2016 ReTuna Återbruksgalleria posted sales of more than 800,000 euros.
Still, ReTuna is more than just a marketplace. It also aims to be an educator, organising events, workshops, lectures, theme days etc., all focusing on sustainability. You can also get organic lunches and treats at the Café Returama.
Eskilstuna Municipality strives to be a green role model and to prove with a concrete example that a sustainable and conscious approach to retail not only reduces the environmental impact of consumers but also creates jobs: in the case of ReTuna it has generated 50+ jobs and the concept of the ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is gaining followers all over the world!

Christiane Bürklein

ReTuna Återbruksgalleria
Eskilstuna, Sweden
Images: Courtesy of ReTuna Återbruksgalleria
Find out more: https://www.retuna.se