Westfield owner URW announces UK winners of sustainable retail competition

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has announced Known Source and The Seam as the UK winners of its Westfield Grand Prix 2023, an international competition to accelerate the next generation of eco-conscious businesses.

Known Source, a circular ecosystem of second-hand specialists and dealers, was voted as the overall winner by a judging panel. It will now receive the "grand prize" of a free pop-up shop or kiosk for up to one year, worth up to £400,000.

The Seam, an interactive and premium destination for wardrobe care and repair services, was then named as the People’s Choice winner. This means the brand has secured a place as a highlighted attraction at the Westfield Good Festival 2024, an annual event celebrating sustainable consumption and circularity.

Both winners will also receive support for activation and media promotion from Westfield’s in-house creative agency, Westfield Rise.

Jacinta Rowsell, Director of Operations at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Grand Prix Lead Judge, said: "We are delighted to announce the two worthy winners of this year’s Grand Prix competition from an exceptionally impressive array of pitches.

"We take great pride in our commitment to support emerging, innovative businesses on their journeys and all the more so for those focused on promoting responsible living and sustainable consumption.

"We look forward to working with Known Source and The Seam over the coming year and helping them realise their potential as we further our commitment to making Westfield centres hubs for environmental and social wellbeing."

The Westfield Grand Prix has been running since 2007 and was set up to help entrepreneurs open their first stores.

It forms part of URW's broader support for small and local businesses, allowing the company to bring new concepts to consumers. Previous winners include Jimmy Fairly and Good News Coffee.