17 minute read
NEWS
NEWS UPDATE KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST STORIES
PEPPA PIG SWAPS MUDDY PUDDLES FOR OCEAN CLEAN-UP PROJECT
Peppa Pig swapped muddy puddles for the British coastline this month with the launch of branded beach-clean activities, resources, and a George at Asda clothing line all in celebration of World Oceans Day.
Partnering with Cleaner Seas Project and the online learning platform, Twinkl, Hasbro delivered rubbish-sorting activities and educational games to teach kids the importance of maintaining a healthy ocean.
Coinciding with the United Nations’ World Oceans Day on Wednesday, 8 June, the partnership will see a further ten beach and river clean-ups take place across the country.
Figures have shown that 32% of the 78 million tonnes of plastic packaging produced annually is left floating in our oceans.
“Peppa Pig’s World Oceans Day partnership with Cleaner Seas Project aims to inspire little ones on how to take small steps to reduce waste in our oceans,” said Marianne James, vp EMEA, consumer products at Hasbro.
Asda marked the occasion with a line of Peppa Pig x World Oceans Day clothing developed by its fashion brand George. It features ocean-themed designs produced using sustainable and recycled materials.
“Asda is an important partner to Peppa for many reasons; a key one is the values we share,” said Marianne. “We’ve worked closely to build more sustainable products across our everyday business and elevate them at key moments.
“World Oceans Day is an example of coming together with incredible partners such as Cleaner Seas and Twinkl, as well as with key licensees who share our passion, to educate our consumers about how they can help.”
The parent company of Carousel Calendars, Otter House, and Calendar Club has joined the Science Based Targets Initiative to reduce Scopes 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas emissions by 46% in the next eight years.
Zebra MTD has been working on improving its environmental impact for several years by setting internal targets to reduce emissions across its entire operations.
The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and the World Wildlife Fund. It’s a programme to help limit global warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to cap temperature rises at 1.5°C.
Prior to joining, Carousel had already removed shrink wrap from 65% of its calendars, Otter House had introduced plastic-free jigsaws, and the team had implemented renewable electricity across each of its offices.
“Our prior activity has been enormously helpful in setting us up for the initiative,” said Steve Plackett, md of Carousel Calendars.
“It’s important for us to have clear objectives so the company, suppliers, customers, and our staff all know where we’re heading. The SBTi focuses on cutting carbon, which is important for us. It takes away concerns about off-setting which troubled us for a year or more.”
As part of the initiative, Zebra MTD must onboard at least 50% of its key product suppliers with the SBTi by 2025.
“If our suppliers adopt SBTi it means they will be pushing their suppliers, so the whole supply chain reduces its carbon footprint in line with the science-based targets,” explained Steve. “It’s not just our print manufacturers, it’s our major UK and American calendar publishers who supply us in Carousel and Calendar Club, too.” A NATURAL SELECTION: NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM TAPS TSBA FOR GLOBAL LICENSING
TSBA Group has underlined its commitment to the Natural History Museum’s ‘Before Life; Shelf Life; After Life’ values of sustainability with a tight focus on partner credentials as it grows the brand’s international licensing portfolio.
The Museum has already made important strides in driving environmental awareness and sustainability within licensing across its UK partner base.
“Sustainability will be looked at holistically across product, packaging, and promotion and how each stage of a product’s lifecycle can be developed with this as a focus,” said Jo Edwards, TSBA Group’s global head of licensing.
“This may be based on the fabrics chosen, the manufacturing processes, the ability for packaging to have a second usage, or a campaign that gives back. We hope to shine a spotlight by collaborating with companies that make considerate products that appeal to consumers while minimising their impact on the world around us.”
Maxine Lister, head of licensing at The Natural History Museum, added: “I’ve always been a fan of TSBA’s licensing programme, they have created some incredible products.
“Together, we’ll be looking for international brands, licensees, and retailers that have the same ethos in terms of sustainability, but also create beautiful products that inspire an appreciation of the natural world.”
NEWS CONTINUED...
QUORN AND PINK KEY OFFER A NEW TASTE OF SUSTAINABILITY CHARACTER WORLD BRANDS TO GET THE MEASURE OF ITS EMISSIONS
The global meat alternative, Quorn, has tapped Pink Key Licensing to pioneer a new consumer products programme to drive its ‘better for the planet’ messaging across the market.
The brand’s move coincides with a “cross-generational surge” in audience engagement as consumers change their diets for reasons of better health and environmental impact.
Sustainable values will play an integral role in the licensing programme and Quorn has stated that it will only be working with partners that uphold its commitment to a healthy planet. “Quorn has become a brand for everyone with 49% of 18 to 34-year-olds now reducing their meat consumption,” said Sam Blunt, commercial operations director at Quorn Foods. “Quorn is now a massmarket brand, so now is a good time to be taking our message into the licensing arena.” Launched to UK consumers in 1985, Quorn aligns itself with a pioneering approach to food production and consumption, health, and sustainability. Pink Key will now translate these credentials into the brand and lifestyle licensing space. “There’s real momentum now, not just from the consumer but from the industry, for brands with something different to say,” said Richard Pink, founder of Pink Key Licensing. “And Quorn has a lot to say. This is a brand that holds health and sustainable consumption at its core and that is exactly what we’ll be conveying through a very considered licensing programme. Quorn’s message of regenerative business and planetary health will be fundamental to the strategy.”
Sam added: “We are about putting far more back into the environment and society than we take out and when that comes to licensing, we’re talking ethical sourcing, recycled materials, and sustainable production.
“We’re not going to compromise an inch over how we do this – that’s the last thing Quorn would do as a brand.”
BEANSTALK GROWS ITS SUSTAINABILITY
AUDITING PLANS
Character World Brands has outlined plans to measure and reduce its Scope 3 and Greenhouse Gas emissions, having been inspired by the positive response it’s seen to initial company sustainability efforts.
Early changes made by the bedding specialist include a significant reduction of card used in its duvet packaging as well as a switch to fully recyclable bags made from recycled content. Positive feedback to these and other measures – including a partnership with LEGO to overhaul its branded bedding packaging and the launch of its Coverless Carefree Bedding range – has spurred the team to “look at further activations.” “We’ve made great strides within our whole supply chain to bring more sustainable options to retailers and consumers,” said Hayley Maguire, commercial director at Character World Brands. “We’re working on plans to measure Scope 3 emissions and understand how to reduce our Greenhouse Gasses.” Character World Brands will also work with its factories to understand their GHG emissions and reduce carbon impact across its whole supply chain. “There’s lots to do and some challenges along the way, but we’re confident the licensing industry will help generate positive and long-lasting change in the drive to a more sustainable future,” added Hayley. MATTEL BRINGS FISHER-PRICE INTO ITS TOY TAKE BACK PROGRAMME
Mattel has expanded its toy takeback programme to include non-electronic Fisher-Price products, enabling families to give their toys a second life once they have finished playing with them.
Fisher-Price now joins Barbie, MEGA, and Matchbox as participating brands in the Mattel PlayBack scheme, a programme designed to recover and reuse materials from old The international licensing agency, Beanstalk, is toys in future Mattel products. exploring ways to provide a sustainability auditing The Mattel PlayBack platform service between licensors and licensees as an extension supports the firm’s goal of its adopted role in supporting the climate action to achieve 100% recycled, plans and targets of its clients. recyclable, or bio-based plastic
As the industry’s only agency with a dedicated auditing materials in its products and division, Beanstalk’s goal is to add language to the packaging by 2030. licence agreement to reflect the key client sustainability “The Mattel Playback targets that licensees would be expected to adhere to. programme has been eagerly
Beanstalk’s auditing team would then evaluate whether received by consumers and the licensee has met, or is on the path to meet, those has provided tremendous required targets. learning specific to the
Having identified it as one of the most important topics durability and disassembly of in the licensing industry “for quite some time”, Beanstalk our products which will aid in already plays an active part in helping licensees the future design of products understand its clients’ sustainability initiatives to help made for the circular them meet their respective climate action goals. economy,” said Pamela
“We are at a critical juncture in climate change and we Gill-Alabaster, svp global head of sustainability and social must be proactive and take responsibility to educate impact at Mattel. ourselves and pass the knowledge along,” Linda “We’re also exploring new technologies in plastic processing Morgenstern, vice president of brand management at and recycling with our longer-term goal to use materials Beanstalk, told Products of Change. collected through Mattel PlayBack in future toy production.”
“We feel responsible to understand sustainability as Launched in the US, Canada, France, Germany, and the fully as possible and share that information with the UK in 2021, the company now celebrates the one-year clients, licensees, and retailers we work with.” anniversary of its Mattel Playback programme.
A Good night’s sleep doesn’t have to cost the earth
- Reusable Packaging - Made from PET Plastic bottles - Recycled Polyester Fibre Fill
For more information about our exciting range of Original Coverless Carefree Bedding or other sustainable Home Lifestyle solutions please contact us
CONTACT US info@characterworld.com 0800 358 6471 @characterworldbrands
Copyright (C) 2022 Character World LTD.All rights reserved.
• The first museum in the world to set a science-based target in line with the Paris Climate Agreement to drive the Museum towards net zero by 2035
• In 2020, 318 solar panels were installed at the Natural History Museum at Tring in 2020, supplying enough energy to power the ornithology building
• All electricity bought from the national grid is from renewable sources
• Bottled water is only sold in glass bottles, the sale of which helps fund clean water projects across the globe
• None of the Museum’s waste ever goes to landfill
• The amount of single-use plastic has been reduced by providing china cups and plates, metal cutlery and paper straws
• NHM licensing is working hard to ensure that the most sustainable routes are taken for product development at each stage of a product’s life cycle
@naturalhistorymuseum @natural_history_museum
NEWS CONTINUED...
FRUGI COMMITS TO CIRCULAR CHILDRENSWEAR
MOVING THE NEEDLE ON FASHION RETAIL
The Cornish lifestyle and fashion brand, Frugi has become the first kids’ clothing label to join the Circular Textiles Foundation.
Working with the Foundation (the CTF), Frugi will embed circular principles throughout its design, development, and manufacturing process to create a range of fully recyclable clothing for spring/ summer 2023.
The certification will apply to 22% of the new collection, with the aim to encompass the complete organic cotton range in the future. Certification signals that the garment has been designed to be recycled and processed into new fabric which can be used to make new clothing. Customers learn where to recycle each item by scanning its QR code.
Sophie Scanlon, head of circular design for the CTF, said: “Frugi has taken to heart what it means to make garments circular. We’re delighted to be supporting them in transforming the way future generations value and interact with their clothes.” Frugi Group’s ceo, Sarah Clark, said: “Our commitment to eliminating waste is strengthened by our partnership with the CTF. We can’t wait to launch our SS’23 range to show that we are serious about making a genuinely circular product and protect the planet we play on.”
PRIMARK PLEDGES AFFORDABLE SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALL
Retail ambassador for Products of Change and ceo of The Radius Group, Damian Hopkins applies his 20 years’ sourcing and supply chain expertise to explore the shifting world of fashion retail.
Primark has committed to using recycled or sustainably sourced materials in all its clothing by 2030 while maintaining affordable prices for its customers..
As part of a wide-reaching sustainability strategy, the retailer will reduce fashion waste, halve carbon emissions, and improve the lives of the people who make its products, all with the promise to make sustainability accessible to all.
Primark will also ensure that all men’s, women’s, and kids’ entry price point t-shirts will be made with sustainably sourced cotton in the next year as well as work to improve the durability of its garments and systems to ensure they can be recycled at the end of their life. With the goal of reducing fashion waste, the team will ‘work to define new industry guidelines on durability’ with the UK circularity charity, WRAP.
“This is a new and exciting chapter in the Primark story,” said Paul Marchant, Primark ceo. “Our new commitments mark a significant acceleration in the pace and scale of change, requiring us to think differently about how we do business. “We’re committed to work in partnership with the industry to drive real change at scale.”
The retail industry is one of the largest contributors to Greenhouse Gas emissions. Goods sold to consumers account for over 30% of all emissions, while the fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and nearly 20% of wastewater. This saddles the industry with a huge responsibility in combating climate change, but it also presents a huge opportunity.
The retail sector has now set the goal to reach Net Zero by 2040, and we’re seeing a positive movement by many brands to drive that change. In my career, I’ve always been an early adopter of people and planet first initiatives. At times I’ve gone too early and profit has continued to trump ESG time and again. Today, however, consumers are driving the ESG narrative as much as brands and retailers. Now, we’re moving the needle towards better practices together. One of my favourite retail initiatives comes from Inditex, the parent company of Zara. Through its Sustainability Innovation Hub, Inditex helps start-ups, academic groups, and tech centres scale up materials, technologies, and processes to reduce the impact of fashion. Most recently it landed a €100m partnership with Infinited Fiber Company to advance new tech towards textile-to-textile circularity. Elsewhere, H&M has begun to move away from fast-fashion with science-based targets now set to reduce its GHG emissions and a Conscious Collection made of materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester. There’s plenty of room for improvement, of course, but the direction of travel is positive. For best practice, however, we should look smaller. Founded in 1991, People Tree is considered a pioneer in sustainable fashion with transparency and sustainability built into every garment. A member of the World Fair Trade Organisation Guarantee System, People Tree adheres to strict environmental guidelines, while promoting fair wages and safe working conditions. Some may say that these are only small steps. But they are steps forward. Sustainability is not just a fad now in fashion, it’s becoming a driving force for fashion brands around the globe.
Hasbrois celebrating EarthMonth
NEWS CONTINUED...
PIPING HOT RIDES WAVE OF SCALABLE SUSTAINABILITY
Piping Hot is eyeing a move into new territories to bring its Heroes for the Ocean x Marvel licensed collection of sustainably produced swimwear to retailers across the international scene.
The plans follow a hugely successful launch for its Marvel-licensed collection that got “snapped up by consumers as soon as it landed instore.” The positive response to the collaboration has spurred a range extension beyond swimwear into family casuals.
“Heroes for the Ocean is our platform for partnering with the world’s best brands to inspire ocean action and sharing our purpose with passionate brand fans is a powerful way to catalyse change,” said Piping Hot’s brand and marketing director, Amy Low.
Encouraged by the spotlight on sustainability at this year’s Licensing Expo in Las Vegas and having seen strong positive reaction to her session on the Products of Change Sustainability discussion panel at the show, Amy is keen to build out Piping Hot and its Heroes for the Ocean’s brand licensing portfolio.
“Licensing allows us to rapidly scale our impact and give more consumers access to affordable solutions to reduce their environmental impact,” said Amy. “Our partners can tap into our sustainable supply chain management, verified product impact claims, and positive action for ocean protection.”
SUPACULT TARGETS DTC FANS ‘WITH ENVIRONMENT TOP OF MIND’
The print-on-demand fashion brand, Supacult, has laid plans to build a direct-to-consumer audience of fans for whom sustainability is top of mind.
Following a stockless model that reduces both risk for retailers and waste by design, Supacult wants to pioneer flexibility in the licensed apparel space “while bringing to life some of the greatest iconic properties in a sustainable way.”
Unveiled at the Products of Change Sustainability Business Lounge at Licensing Expo this year, Supacult sources its blank t-shirts from a GOTSlicensed supplier with facilities powered by green, renewable energy.
These blanks are then printed to order at Supacult’s London production hub using water-based inks and shipped using sustainable packaging. “It’s good to see that sustainability in the licensing industry is becoming fully recognised and taken on board by licensees, retailers, and licensors,” said Rick Lowe, managing director of Supacult.
“Supacult products sit at the heart of a process that is as sustainable as possible, including the print-on-demand model. Our aspirations are to build a profile with our direct-to-consumer audiences and fans where sustainability is valued.”
KITCHENWARES’ FACKELMANN TURNS UP HEAT ON SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY
In a bid to lead environmental conversations across the home and kitchenware market, the German manufacturer Fackelmann is to deliver its first report into the business’ sustainability and ethics.
The family-run outfit is overhauling its portfolio of more than 10,000 SKUs, adopting sustainable materials and removing single-use plastic in its packaging where possible.
The team wants to lead market sustainability by reducing waste, plastic pollution, and CO2 levels with targets set for the next ten years. Its strategy is underpinned by its newest range, Ecolution – a kitchenware line made from renewable PE and FSC-certified wood.
Also new is Fackelmann’s first climate-neutral baking mould range produced with Carnauba wax coating from Fairtrade-certified palm trees.
Martin Strack, ceo of Fackelmann, said: “It’s exciting to pioneer new systems and new models in the market. On a product level, it requires a lot of innovation.
“We were one of 50 climate leader companies to represent at COP26 and are working to get closer to the UN’s 17 SDGs. Our next step is to deliver our first sustainability report and lead the conversation across housewares.” PLAY ON REPEAT AS TOY INDUSTRY LEANS INTO CIRCULAR
The reuse and sharing of pre-loved products and repurposing materials to make new ones is tipped to become the next tentpole in toy industry sustainability.
As demand continues to grow, experts at Toy Industries of Europe expect to see businesses shift to a ‘more circular approach’ at a faster rate in the coming years.
Major headway made in driving circular models in the sector include toy take-back efforts from The LEGO Group, Hasbro, and Mattel, while toy repair platforms continue to emerge.
“A ‘circular approach’ for our sector means toys are around for as long as possible to be reused, shared and don’t end up as waste, but as primary materials for more toys or other products,” said TIE’s director general, Catherine van Reeth.
“It’s exciting to see how the sustainability agenda of toy companies is becoming more ambitious.”
Reflective of evolving industry sustainability, TIE recently enlisted Products of Change to reformat its Play for Change Awards’ Sustainability Category. Submissions will now be assessed on their ability to deliver an overall positive impact for the environment across all stages of their lifecycle.
“To reflect an industry maturing to sustainability, we have raised the bar on how we will assess and measure good industry practice,” said Catherine.
