Space for change – How sharing concepts make our cities, fashion and economy more sustainable
Germany is facing a double land crisis: While cities are suffering from ever-increasing levels of sealing – Ludwigshafen, for example, is with 67 % a "top performer" ( Source: gdv.de ) – , the risks of flooding and heavy rainfall are simultaneously increasing. Sealed surfaces allow little water to seep away, canals overflow , and rivers regularly burst their banks. The consequences: billions in damage , stressed infrastructure, and threatened urban biodiversity .
But while in some places the water can no longer drain away, in others commercial space is vacant or underutilized. In 2024, a total of approximately 7.1% of office space in the listed top German centers for office buildings was vacant. The previous year, the office vacancy rate was 5.6%. In addition to office space, other company workspaces are also unused. However, there are hardly any statistics on this – but a Hanover-based entrepreneur has recognized the problem.
From the master's thesis to the founding of Workstation 24-7
Making hidden utilization potential visible. This is where Alexandra Felder falls into place. As a prospective mechanical engineer with a focus on lean production, she realized during her studies in 2019 that every square meter is often optimized in production, but outside the factory halls, space is wasted. The aha moment came when she spent months sitting alone in a startup office designed for eight people, while elsewhere people worked in cafes without stable Wi-Fi. During her master's thesis, she further researched the topic of commercial space utilization and discovered that, in 2019, over 61 % of the commercial spaces surveyed were regularly vacant – particularly in the beauty, storage and retail segments.
With this knowledge, Alexandra founded "Workstation 24-7" – a platform that enables flexible, shared use of commercial space. Her goal: to reduce vacancy, conserve resources, and increase profitability. The challenge: Property owners often still want a single, long-term tenant. But the need for flexibility is growing – and with it, interest in sharing concepts.
Silicon Valley: Sharing as a driver of innovation
Alexandra's eye for innovation was strongly influenced by a stay in the Founders Institute's accelerator program with stays in Paul Alto and Silicon Valley.
"It was really tough. There were few breaks in our training sessions, and we had, for example, two of the so-called Epic Sprints, where you simply have to write a 1,000-word essay in 72 hours and then interview three people, ideally CEO-level people working at publicly traded companies. But in the end, I gained mentors and friends for life, and the program even gave me a chance to talk to Airbnb's chief developer."
Alex feels that sharing knowledge and the courage to start a business are much more present in America – a driver of innovation that is often still thwarted in Germany due to cultural barriers. While starting a business part-time and managing multiple projects is commonplace in the US, Alexandra still feels hesitation towards entrepreneurship in Germany.
The sharing mindset in fashion history: flea markets and second-hand models
As always, each topic includes a twist on fashion history.
The principle of sharing is by no means new here – however, the sustainability behind second-hand shopping is debatable when examined more closely.
We'll start with the origins and one of the oldest second-hand markets in the world, located in Ercolano, Italy, a commune in Naples. Clothing was sold here after World War II in 1944, as it was hard to find. The cities were destroyed, and fashion wasn't so easy to find. Initially, stolen soldiers' clothing was sold – today, many vintage treasures can be found at this market.
Today, the sharing economy is booming in the fashion industry: Secondhand platforms, clothing swaps, and rental models like "Rent the Runway" demonstrate that it doesn't always have to be new clothes. But it's worth taking a look behind the business models.
Not every second-hand business model is sustainable
There are C2C (customer-to-customer) business models where individuals buy directly from individuals. These include platforms like eBay and Vinted, or a physical secondhand store that takes your clothes and resells them to private individuals.
In recent years, however, B2C (business-to-consumer) business models have also gained influence. Here, a fashion company sells its unsold stock to a second-hand retailer, from whom private individuals can then purchase.
Examples of such platforms are Momox and Sellpy. While private individuals can also submit goods on these platforms, Momox began collaborating with About You, and Sellpy received a €20 million investment from the fast-fashion group H&M. The advantages: Companies find an additional logistics and sales channel, and consumers benefit from attractive offers. The disadvantages: These B2C business models provide little incentive for companies to rethink their production volumes and processes.
The future of land use: From lean management to sustainability
Since Alexandra's start-up phase, her experience with lean production has been a great help. In short, the method focuses on classifying activities into wasteful, value-creating, and value-enhancing activities, and optimizing processes according to these criteria. This valuable approach has been translated into the startup world by American author and entrepreneur Eric Ries. A recommended book here: The Lean Startup
Optimizing land use is economically and ecologically relevant, and Alexandra Felde demonstrates how it can work. She advises companies, municipalities, and property owners on how to create new potential from unused space – for greater sustainability, innovation, and economic success.
Curious?
Here are a few links:
LinkedIn Alexandra Felde
Workstation 24-7 (website link)
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