According to an announcement by the Mall of America, popular California apparel brand Marine Layer will be opening a store at the mall this summer.
The retailer, based in San Francisco and known for its retro, California-inspired designs and “extremely soft” shirts, is set to open its doors at the Bloomington megamall. The store will be located on Level 1, West.
Expanding Presence in Minnesota
While Marine Layer already has a well-established presence in the city of Chicago, this move marks the first location in the state of Minnesota. Marine Layer was founded in 2010 by best friends Mike Natenshon and Adam Lynch. Before launching the original pop-up shop in San Francisco, Natenshon and Lynch started in the fashion industry by selling t-shirts together out of a vintage Volkswagen camper.
Today, the friends’ business has grown to an abundant online presence and has a total of 45 brick-and-mortar locations scattered across the United States.
A Commitment to Sustainability
Marine Layer has long stood behind its sustainability efforts as well. The company offers $5 credits to all shoppers who donate their used t-shirts. Customers who wish to take advantage of the offer can donate either with a prepaid recycling mail-in kit or by visiting one of their 45 brick-and-mortar locations.
Natenshon and Lynch are devoted to keeping textiles out of landfills. Their “Re-Spun” program begins with these donated tees and ends with their commitment to using recycled materials across their entire line. The Re-Spun Program has also saved an estimated 2.6B gallons of water, as posited by Marine Layer on the company’s website.
According to the company, their used t-shirt recycling program has prevented more than 500,000 t-shirts from ending up in landfills since they launched the program in 2018.
With a current rate of production using 45% sustainable materials, Marine Layer plans to increase that number to 55% by next year. Recycled materials the company uses include nylon, poly, and cotton. Marine Layer also uses responsibly sourced materials such as organic cotton, hemp, and linen.
The company utilizes only responsibly sourced paper products for sustainable packaging and has replaced single-use plastic in all online orders with recyclable Vela bags, according to their website.
The Impact of Marine Layer at the Mall of America
The latest location at the Mall of America joins Marine Layer’s other locations, which include New York City, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, among many others.
The Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, opened its doors on August 11, 1992, and has since grown into one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. The structure is now a leader in retail, entertainment, and attractions, bringing in tens of millions of visitors every year. The Bloomington megamall generates approximately $2B yearly in economic impact for the state of Minnesota and is excited about the addition of Marine Layer.
