Sustainability: Here to Stay
At BEL, we like to experience the current state of retail for ourselves so that we better understand the landscape and see the obstacles brands are facing. Our reoccurring retail walkabouts involve an afternoon of field research scoping out the latest and greatest retail displays, paying special attention to new, tech-driven retail solutions. This hands-on delve into the current retail climate allows BEL to better assess and provide top-end retail solutions for different brands’ needs. Check-in on Retail Roundup every other Monday for updates and insights from our walkabouts!
Sustainability is becoming a core component of how brands must operate. Gone are the days where consumers willingly turn a blind eye to the environmental effects of their purchases. Especially as Gen-Z consumers gain more purchasing power, the ability for brands to ignore their environmental footprint dwindles even further. On our latest walkabout, we focused on how brands are highlighting their sustainability efforts in physical stores. From unique displays to prominently placed signage, sustainability seems to be the most-adopted trend in retail. In reality, sustainability is migrating its way from its status as a trend to becoming a necessary component for most retailers.
One of our favorite sustainable displays that we saw throughout our walkabout was at Nike. In physical stores, there’s often a paradox that can be found in sustainability advertising where the messaging reads properly, but the physical display is not created sustainably at all. This particular display was part of Nike’s “Move to Zero” sustainability program. Launched in the fall of 2019, “Move to Zero” is Nike’s plan to move toward zero carbon and zero waste, with a goal of powering facilities through 100% renewable energy by 2025 and operating with net-zero carbon emissions. To support this from a product standpoint, Nike’s sustainable goods line features products created with at least 20% sustainable materials. Nike’s sustainability display was anything but a paradox. Messaging matches the display, which matches the products.
Here are some other examples we saw throughout our walkabout of different sustainability campaigns that brands are taking on:
Everlane:
One of Everlane’s most prominent sustainability programs is their commitment to no new plastics. In 2018, Everlane launched their campaign to dedicate themselves to removing newly-created plastics from their supply chain. The material was made up for in recycled nylon, plastic bottles, and other recycled plastics. As of April 2021, 97% of materials used in Everlane products were all from certified recycled fibers. Already established as one of the premier environmentally friendly clothing brands, Everlane’s brick-and-mortar store in SoHo reaffirms just that. Inside their store, in addition to signage that pointed to Everlane’s sustainability efforts, each clothing tag has ethical information about the product, there are information stations on Everlane’s factories set up around the store, and the entire store is a cash-less experience. Instead, Everlane uses a card-only system to match their green messaging. From the store design to the labels on the clothing, Everlane has created a physical storefront that matches their sustainability efforts in every way.
Everlane
Nudie Jeans:
Nudie Jeans is a great example of a company that has really embraced sustainability as one of their core pillars. With a goal of becoming the world’s most sustainable denim brand, Nudie’s extends their sustainability goals to the entire lifecycle of their products, not just in the upfront sourcing of materials. From investing in water saving technologies to ensuring their factories pay living wages to creating products with minimum 70% sustainable fibers, it is clear to any consumer that Nudie’s has truly built their mission around sustainability. In addition to their sustaianable practices in creating their products, Nudie’s offers free lifetime repairs for any pair of jeans purchased. The idea behind it? To decrease waste by prolonging the lifecycle of a single pair of jeans.
Unlike Nudie Jeans and Everlane, Nike doesn’t have sustainability wrapped up into its core mission statement. While it’s still very much a singular segment within their store, as opposed to the entirety of Nudie’s and Everlane, the dedication and consistency Nike has given to their sustainability efforts makes it feel genuine to the average consumer.
Why does being genuine matter? With sustainability moving away from “trend” status and into “permanent & necessary” territory, many brands and retailers are scrambling for facts and figures to highlight. Unfortunately, the average consumer is no longer as susceptible to accepting facts at face value. There are plenty of consumers who will take the time to do research, to really uncover if the sustainability claims made by brands are followed up with action.