The Power of Connection and Sports

Explore how we created this valuable hub together.

KLABU, Swahili for ‘club,’ represents a youthful and ambitious social startup and a meaningful initiative. It operates as a purpose brand, utilizing the influence of sports and community to aid refugees worldwide in their pursuit of a better future. But it’s more than just a sports brand; it’s a lifestyle, a community, and a movement that unites athletes worldwide. Whether it’s sports facilities in refugee camps or local sports programs, KLABU brings people together, fosters meaningful connections, and makes a positive impact. 

Our partnership emerged from shared values—connection and togetherness—driving our determination to cultivate a lasting alliance. Our journey began with an initial financial donation in early 2022. As we sought ways to fortify our bond and establish a more enduring partnership with KLABU, the idea of a stronger, positive impact emerged, driven by our mutual energy. 

Tchai committed to a comprehensive service, overseeing the entire process from concept to installation. Together with KLABU, our design, project management, installation and marketing teams created an environment for the community of locals and newcomers: refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. We were tasked with creating the ideal brand environment for KLABU – one that is all-encompassing, where retail is a component, but where the focus is on the power of connection and sports.  

At the core of the KLABU Clubhouse concept lies the unique vision of KLABU as a social start-up, ultimately positioning itself among renowned sports brands, with consumers exerting direct influence through their purchases. To consistently and prominently manifest this distinctive character across various locations, a thoughtful retail strategy and hospitality concept have been developed, visually translating the mission of KLABU. 

A pivotal aspect within KLABU’s brand strategy was the establishment of a physical hub that serves as a store and a community space. This multifunctional hub accommodates diverse activities, such as workouts, workshops, and broadcasts of radio and podcasts. It also serves as a meeting point for the community and caters to practical needs, offering services like coffee and phone charging facilities for status holders to use. 

The KLABU Clubhouse transcends boundaries and creates a shared space where people, regardless of their backgrounds, can meet and experience a sense of connection that extends beyond traditional borders, thereby shaping a world in which we no longer exist separately in the same country on the same planet. This place became a hub where both locals and newcomers come together and connect. While simultaneously, operating as a commercial store, offering the opportunity to try on and purchase the vibrant and distinctive sport collections exclusively designed by KLABU. 

Our retail concept defies retail norms and is infused with a bold and unconventional combination of a color palette inspired by the collections of KLABU, symbolizing hope, empowerment, and vibrancy. It also prominently features the butterfly wing pattern and conveys the powerful narrative through impactful visuals via digital (visual) communication. Transcending boundaries in the store with digital elements that can connect with the refugee camps and make, even from a distance, connection feasible. The digital solutions foster a sense of belonging to the global community of refugees and supporters, effectively erasing geographical boundaries.   

Hence, the choice of the orange container, positioned as a central hub within refugee camps, for example in Kalobeyei in Kenya, Ter Apel in The Netherlands, and Lesvos in Greece, serves as an essential element. This container embodies the clubhouse. It offers familiarity and mirrors the same welcoming role as it does in the camps. In the retail store functioning as the register, staffed by various KLABU employees who are either refugees themselves or have been in the past.  
  
The store underwent a full transformation, embodying a retail concept that evolved into an environment that caters to consumer needs while also encapsulating the essence of the brand’s identity and good cause behind KLABU.