Claire's, also known as Claire's Accessories, was once a rite of passage for every teenage girl. No outfit for a night out (or even some nights in) was complete without a little something from Claire's to set it off. 'Accessories' under Claire's definition could include anything from belts to bracelets to earrings; including having your ears pierced so you could wear the rings. It set up shop in 1961 and had been successful ever since; until around early 2017.
The cause of its struggles is the same old story; increased competition, inability to drop prices as low as internet retailers, and downturn in customers visiting high street stores. The inevitable happened in March 2018 when Claire's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an attempt to deal with its uncontrolled debts, which by that point were in excess of $1.9bn. Two months later it had shut down 130 stores and was looking for a buyer.
Over the years, weve seen so many food trends come and go, such as ramen burgers, matcha, and spiked ice-cream. Nowadays, were seeing another trend making waves in the food industry. How many times today have you seen an Instagram photo of a scoop of black ice cream, or a cup of black yogurt, or hamburgers with black buns? Indeed, the charcoal trend has taken the world by storm.
So, what gives your latte that deep black shade? Activated charcoal, or coconut ash, is produced by heating coconut shells to insanely high temperatures until theyre burnt to a crisp. The ashes are then increased in size by steaming at high temperatures. Through this process, the ashes become a strong detoxifier, mostly because they become extra absorbent. This product may be purchased in pill form, and promises to alleviate hangovers, minimize the effects of food poisoning, and fight the visible signs of aging.
Activated charcoal is said to boost ones energy as a result of decreasing toxins in the body. However, no evidence proves that detoxifying can lead to increased energy. Also, while it can help cure a hangover, it doesnt necessarily remove alcohol from your blood. It is also said to aid in debloating your stomach because it cleanses your colon but again, this all anecdotal and isnt supported by scientific evidence as of yet. All we can say for sure is that it is a proven detoxifier.