Comment-Sustainabilityatany price?

We all want abetterworld, but buyers have to appreciatethe value exchange, says Jason

O’Connor,sales director, TotalMerchandise

We recently conducted some research into what our customers really want from us. Hundreds of people shared their thoughts and it wasnosurprise that sustainabilitywas arecurring theme, with customers particularly keen that these itemsbe'budget-friendly' and 'lowcost'.

Because of course, as muchasthere’s agrowing desiretoembrace greener practices, there’sthe fiscal flip side. Awareness surrounding sustainabilityhas increased but marketing budgets haven’t. While manyofour coreproducts can accommodatespend of all sizes, there’s no denying that theirgreen counterparts come witha price tag.

Customers who aren’t yetclued up on sustainabilitycan feel alienated by this,querying whythey’re being quoted morefor 'better' choices. On theother hand, conversations about lowering unit costs can put youatrisk of alienating thesupplier,who rightly knows the value of their products. The distributor is stuckinthe middle, withthe sweet irony being that switching to an eco-specific inventoryfocus is simply unsustainable right nowfor abusiness likeours.

When my partners and Ilaunched TotalMerchandise in 2004,sustainability wasn’t even awhisper.It’snow one of theloudest voices in theroom and it’s awe-inspiring to see theproducts and passion that have evolvedinthis crucial sector of our industry.

At TM,we’ve workedhardtoorganically build our eco offering overthe years and currently have around 1,000 items that all have genuine green credentials, withthis number ever-growing. The popularityis ever-growing, too: in Q1 of 2023, our eco range accounted forjust under 30% of our polyester and committing to sustainably sourced cotton, thecompanyreduces wasteand theenvironmental impact of apparel production.

PureEarthprioritises animal welfare, sustainable fabric treatments and technologies, and implementing sustainable printing and packaging practices.

In 2023,Stormtech aimed for60% of all new polyester styles to be sourced from recycled fabrics. It exceeded this target, with80% of thenew Spring 2023 collection being sourced from sustainable materials.

100most ordered products.

Ibelievethat aside-by-side existence of our bread-andbutter items and their sustainable equivalents is keytoensuring we don’t lose sight of what thestill-majorityofour customers want from us. Ialso believe moreconsumer-focused education across all industries -not just ours -isrequired on thesubject of sustainability.

This expands farpast pricing and, for this industrytomove forwardonthe sustainabilityfront, customers need to understand thevalue that aligning themselves withthese products can bring.

We’realiving, breathing business, and we’llkeep evolving as our customers do After all, thefuture’smoresustainable if it’s realistic.

Futureobjectivesinclude sourcing mono materials fornew designs by Fall 2023, launching thefirst circular design collection by early 2024,obtaining 100% sustainable cotton forall new styles by 2025,and transitioning thetop 10 materials to sustainable alternativesby2027.

Logistics Centralisation

Victorinox targetsbothits internal operations and those of our suppliers to apply environmentally friendly production methods.

It has developed recyclingfacilities for grinding sludge and steel residue that are unique within theindustry.

Further,itoptimises wasteheat in production withheat pumps and heat recovery from its ventilation systems. Thanks to closed-loop cooling systems, its demand forfresh waterislimited to emergencycooling. Photovoltaic systems areinstalled on several companybuildings compensating around 500tons of CO2

Innocent takesthe wrap forsustainability

Innocent Drinks first started selling smoothies at amusic festival in 1999 and since then thebrand has been on amission to keep people healthy,helpout thecommunities who need it most and makesureour planet becomes healthier too.

As part of this,itgives 10%ofprofits to charityand has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2025

It thereforefollows that anymerchandise has to fit intothese laudable brand values, so anycampaign message has to be useful and meaningful forcustomers.

It turned to Brandelitytoproduce aseries of Innocent Smoothie’s Beeswax Wraps, as an example of howcompanies can promoteuseful and meaningful campaigns that make a difference to theenvironment. These wraps aredesigned to replace plastic clingfilm, whichisone of themost common sources of plastic waste. By using beeswax wraps, consumers can reduce their plastic wasteand help to protect the environment.

The campaign message behind Innocent Smoothie’s Beeswax Wraps is simple but powerful: by making small changes, we can alldoour part in stopping clingfilmfromentering our oceans and harming marine life. This message resonates withpeople who want to makeadifference and encourages them to take action in theirown lives.

The client said: “New and exciting branded merch.We’re thrilled withthe results of our latest collaboration with Brandelity. We can’twait to see howour consumers react.” everyyear.Last but not least, product packaging is constantly optimised forsize and recyclability.

Brandelityhas previously supplied other promotional items forInnocent, including notebooks, pens, and flash drives, all of whichfit withits sustainabilityand eco-friendly ethos.

Anew European distribution centre in Switzerland centralises theVictorinox warehouse making transfer transportation redundant, and offering direct access to railway transportation.

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