The National Theatre is making significant changes behind the scenes with the launch of The National Theatre Green Store.

The Green Store aims to inspire the theatre's design team to reinvent and reimagine existing materials during the early stages of production. Located in Bermondsey, the new space houses over 131,652 costumes and 21,942 props from past shows, all under one roof for the first time. 

National Theatre Green Store © Reed Watts Architects

Alongside being a resource for their own productions, the store is home to their Costume and Props hire department, which offers rental services to theatres, schools and colleges as well as to film and television companies, photographers and media houses.

This large-scale sustainability initiative aligns with the National's commitment to the Theatre Green Book's basic standard, stipulating that 50% of the materials used in productions should have had a previous life and 65% be repurposed at the end of each production.

The new creation process has required a significant shift in mindset, pushing designers to innovate further. Costume Designer Samuel Wyer shared with Sky News how rewarding the new practice has been, noting that the team could dip and cut clothes, which often led to discovering items beyond his imagination that were even better than what he could have drawn on paper.

Designers have also turned to second-hand furniture for the set design, which previously would have been built from scratch based on drawings. Set Designer Frankie Bradshaw explained, "Every piece has its own little quirks," which has led to carpenters needing to adapt their work processes. She added, "It requires everyone to be a little bit more flexible, a little more patient, but it does mean you can end up with a product you're a lot more proud of."