American Apparel's first green store, designed by JPDA, was published in VMSD magazine. Excerpt below:

"There's a difference between changing out your palette to look green and actually incorporating sustainable practices," says Darrick Borowski, creative director at JPDA. "All those things that look green on the surface can be just as harmful as what they're replacing. We were more interested in proving that we could tell any visual store and do it responsibly."

The retailer's signature white store with gridwall systems and large graphics remains. But incandescent track lighting has been swapped for energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps; recycled tiles and locally sourced wood that's certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) cover the floor; and the storefront sign is illuminated with LED lighting.