It’s official: Every consumer products industry is now trying to incorporate CBD.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in both marijuana and hemp. Celebrated for its anti-inflammatory healing properties, it has taken the wellness industry by storm. Thanks to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill in December, CBD is now poised to start entering increasingly mainstream industries. Like shoe stores.
First, CBD was in supplements, and alternative wellness products. Then dog treats. Then it started turning up in beauty products, like bath bombs and wrinkle creams. Then major alcohol companies started partnering with CBD companies, and exploring CBD-infused beverages. Energy drink makers got involved, too. CBD became a buzzword for investors and CEOs as well as wellness gurus.
But shoe stores?
DSW, like many retail chains, has been faced with a changing landscape, as more consumers turn to online retailers like Amazon. So, they’ve experimented with various twists on their typical shoe-retailer format. (Some of their store locations have on-site nail salons. Pedicure with your shoe shopping, anyone?)
Now DSW will be selling Seventh Sense personal-care products at nearly 100 of its U.S. stores. Made by Green Growth Brands, these CBD-infused products include muscle balms, body lotions, and foot creams. Green Growth Brands is run by a former DSW executive. The cannabis company is also backed by one of Ohio’s most prominent business tycoon families (the Schottenstein family), which is also involved in the board of DSW.
It’s another sign of how mainstream cannabis has become.
But DSW is only selling the CBD products in less than one fifth of their 500-plus U.S. locations. Despite CBD’s federal approval in the 2018 Farm Bill, DSW will only be selling infused products in states where cannabis is legal.
