The Shoprite Group has launched a new clothing brand called UNIQ – and the first standalone UNIQ Clothing store is already open in Cape Town, with more to follow in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
In a statement on Thursday (30 March), Shoprite said the UNIQ brand is “built on simplicity, comfort, superior fabrics and value.”
“Catering for the entire family, the UNIQ range consists of premium basics in a variety of colours and fabrics that are easy to mix and match. Every item of clothing is thoughtfully designed and made to last, pairing durable fabrics with stylish and versatile designs,” the retail group explained.
“UNIQ has sourced materials specifically engineered for comfort and convenience, and it is the first local clothing retailer to introduce Supima cotton to the mass market. With longer fibres than regular cotton, this superior quality cotton is stronger, softer, and absorbs colour better, keeping clothing lustrous even after many washes.”
The range includes t-shirts, womenswear such as modal-blend leggings and brushed fleece joggers, menswear such as fleecetech jackets and hoodies, and kiddies’ basics.
Shoprite said UNIQ will be the first clothing retailer in South Africa to offer self-service checkout, whereby customers will scan and pay for their items themselves. In-store employees will however be available to assist shoppers.
The first UNIQ Clothing stores
The first UNIQ Clothing store is already open at Cape Town’s Canal Walk shopping centre. According to Shoprite, eight more stores will open “in the next month” at the following locations:
- Ballito Junction Mall (Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal).
- Secunda Mall (Secunda, Mpumalanga).
- Table Bay Mall (Cape Town, Western Cape).
- Mall@Reds Shopping Centre (Pretoria, Gauteng).
- The Grove Mall (Pretoria, Gauteng).
- Galleria Mall (Amanzimtoti, KwaZulu-Natal).
- Chartwell Corner (Dainfern, Gauteng).
- Menlyn Park (Pretoria, Gauteng).
UNIQ Clothing catalogues
At launch, the UNIQ Clothing website did not appear to have online shopping functionality, suggesting that customers can only buy in-store for the moment.
Fortunately, the website has links for men’s, women’s and kids’ catalogues. At the time of publishing, it had one catalogue/leaflet for all three categories for March-July 2023.