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THE SUN RISES ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AT DANILO
Danilo has received funding through the Eastern New Energy Grant Programme to install solar panels at its offices in Waltham Abbey from the start of 2023.
The calendars and greetings specialist has been a leader in industry conversation since embarking on its sustainability journey. Changes made to its operations already include LED lighting installation last year and EV charging points this spring.
“The success of our grant application means we can go ahead with works to install solar panels. We’re passionate about protecting the planet and we appreciate the impact our business can have on the environment. Therefore, we have put a strategy in place to focus on ways we can reduce that,” said Claire Bates, marketing manager at Danilo.
“We’ve also started working with Climate Partner to calculate and verify our current carbon footprint. This work will help us set sustainability goals for the business to work towards.”
Seeing sustainability challenges “as opportunities to improve product,” Danilo has added new, clear recycling labels to its products and made its desk easel and desk block calendar range completely plastic free and recyclable.
“We’re putting reuse, as well as recycling, at the forefront when it comes to product design,” said Claire. “We’ve doubled the number of plastic-free wall calendars in our portfolio this year and continue our search for cost-efficient ways to reduce cello wrapping further.”
The team remains an active member of Products of Change and the GCA where discussions on reducing the impact of the greetings industry are ongoing.
“With sustainability high on our agenda, we’re excited to see new ideas developed and implemented for further sustainable practices in the near future,” said Claire.
MICRO-PLASTICS MAKE BIG WAVES FOR AARDMAN AND CLEANER SEAS PROJECT AT LAND’S END
Aardman turned its popular Land’s End exhibition into an education on global plastic pollution this summer in partnership with the artist and cofounder of Cleaner Seas Project, Avril Greenaway.
The Cornish landmark and interactive family experience played host, this July, to a collection of artworks depicting Aardman characters made from micro-plastics found at the beach.
The pieces – showcased at the Aardman Presents: A Grand Experience tourist attraction - included the image of Shaun the Sheep surfing a wave of plastic, a friendly seal from Aardman’s Creature Comforts, and the Aardman logo. Each was made using shards of micro-plastics cleaned up from across Cornwall’s beaches.
Both primary micro-plastics (the raw material used to make plastic products) and secondary micro-plastics (large pieces that have been broken down by UV rays and the ocean’s waves) were used.
“Overlooking the wild and beautiful Atlantic Ocean, Land’s End is a fitting home for art that has such an important message about protecting our seas and beaches from pollution,” said Avril.
Molly Van Den Brink, attractions and live experiences manager at Aardman, added: “We’re thrilled to support the work Cleaner Seas is doing to raise awareness of the crisis we face in ocean plastic pollution.
“Avril’s artwork made entirely from microplastics found on the beach highlights wonderfully the cause, made particularly poignant by the proximity of the gallery to the Atlantic.” BRAND LICENSING INDUSTRY CRITICAL TO ACHIEVING THE 17 SDGS, SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS
Representatives from the United Nations have said the brand licensing and consumer products industries will have a critical role to play if we are to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
During a keynote address delivered by Caroline Petit, the deputy director from the United Nations Regional Information Centre on Brand Licensing Europe’s Day of Purpose this year, attention was turned to the further action the sector can take to drive positive, societal change.
This includes using sustainability to unlock creativity and innovation in the fashion space, as well as utilising brands to champion purpose, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Having hosted its first Black Lives Matter catwalk event and entertained audiences with an exclusive Junk Kouture upcycled fashion parade, Brand Licensing Europe is on the path towards “changing the common narrative around trade shows.”
As a snapshot of an industry in transition, and through its partnership with Products of Change, it has been championed by the UN as “a summit where business leaders come to build a better future.” The task now is for the $300bn global licensing industry to push further.
“Governments have a strong responsibility to act, but industry and individuals can – and should – also be catalysts to transform the way products are manufactured, produced, distributed, and consumed,” said the UN’s Caroline.
“There are many ways in which the licensing industry can engage with the United Nations and a number have already joined the UN Global Compact, the SDG Media Compact, or the SDG Publishing Compact, while the likes of Mattel, LEGO, Swarovski, the Smurfs, Sony, and others are committed to removing harmful stereotypes on gender in their programmes, or generate quality educational programmes for books, toys, or television shows.
“But more is needed to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and the brand licensing and consumer products industry is critical in accelerating that movement.”
JCB BUILDS SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING GUIDE FOR PARTNERS TALKING TABLES PARTIES FOR TOMORROW WITH B CORP STATUS
JCB has developed its own Consumer Products Sustainable Packaging Guide to help licensing partners review their packaging solutions and improve their sustainability.
The guide is part of current efforts to bring the team’s consumer products division into full alignment with the values of the wider JCB business.
The brand has made big changes to its core construction business since 2010, working to reduce the carbon impact of its machinery through efficiency. JCB machines now use 50% less fuel while all its suppliers are required to join its Supplier Code of Conduct.
It’s become the focus of JCB’s brand licensing manager, Katie Lane to work with licensees to incorporate these same values into its consumer products business. Inspired by packaging guides from The LEGO Group and Tesco, JCB has utilised its engineering expertise to model the guide on the one it implements across its supply chain.
“The guide identifies three key priorities,” said Katie. “First is to optimise design and design packaging thoughtfully to ensure every element is necessary. Second is to source sustainably and maximise recycled and responsibly sourced content. Third is to support recycling and prioritise the circular economy, planning for the full lifecycle of the packaging.”
The Sustainable Packaging Guide is now being shared with licensees as JCB works alongside them to identify the areas of priority.
“We encourage communication. The guide includes useful resources and asks licensees to share learnings with us and each other so we can make progress quicker,” said Katie.
“Brands are realising their power of influence in sustainability. Some of our licensees are doing great things in terms of sustainable products, and there’s plenty more to come.”
UP, UPCYCLE, AND AWAY AS GEMAR
EXPLORES BALLOON SECOND LIFE
Talking Tables has been awarded B Corp status, making it one of the first in the partyware sector to join a growing list of businesses to pursue purpose as well as profit.
The company was required to meet B Lab’s rigorous social and environmental standards through an impact assessment covering governance, employees, communities, and the environment. Applicants must meet a score of over 80. Talking Tables achieved 87.5, joining the likes of Innocent and The Body Shop in reaching B Corp status. Responsible for the world’s first plastic-free and recyclable paper cup, Talking Tables is currently working with Ecologi to offset its napkin and games production. The team is also committed to diversity with a zero gender pay gap. “We’re honoured to be an early receiver of the certification within our industry,” said Claire Harris, Talking Tables’ founder. “The process has provided us a framework and its emphasis on continued improvement inspires us to develop new initiatives.” PURE TABLE TOP ON A MISSION TO ‘END FAST FASHION IN HOMEWARES MARKET’
Pure Table Top has launched its own brand identity – Purer Home – to house projects and initiatives that imbue its ambitions to ‘end fast fashion in the housewares market’ and prove sustainability brings commercial gain.
Gemar is exploring ways to extend the life of its natural rubber latex balloons among consumers via a dedicated online platform called Second Life. Working with its Gemar Masters, the Italian balloon specialist has created a video series to inspire customers to use their discarded or broken balloons to create new products. The tutorials are pitched at everyone, meaning balloon skills are not required by users, just “creativity and imagination.” The platform is just a small part of the company’s developing sustainability strategy. In 2018, Gemar committed to the UN Global Compact to incorporate the 17 SDGs into its core business. “Our responsibility programme has been restructured to implement these principles in our dayto-day operations, and we report these efforts each year through a sustainability report,” said Gloria Veta, brand and sales director at Gemar Balloons. These projects will contribute to a more transparent, accountable, and responsible supply and value chain by boasting their own ‘unique sustainability selling point’, from increased durability and recycled content to renewable energy use or reduced water wastage in production. “We’re experts in what we do. As a result, we’re looking to develop standards and ways of working that don’t currently exist,” said Pure Table Top’s sustainability officer, Tom Sellicks. “We want to use our brand to raise awareness of the problem of fast fashion in homewares while rewarding suppliers doing good things to reduce their impact on the environment.” Purer Home has even begun to introduce small-scale circular projects. For example, its ceramic office samples (which contribute over 107 tonnes of CO2e per year) are either collected and crushed on-site to be used as hardcore or sold at sample sales with all proceeds going to its chosen charity, Alex’s Wish. Purer Home hopes to work with retail partners in the coming months to introduce new return schemes to reuse, repurpose, or recycle any returned items. “Deep down, we know that to reach our Net Zero target by 2040 we need to reduce the amount we are manufacturing,” said Tom. “So, circularity won’t just become a core arm of the business – it will be the business. It’s a long way off, but we’re ambitious.”
ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSED
CAROUSEL CALENDARS HAS SIGNED UP TO THE SCIENCE BASED TARGETS INITIATIVE
The initiative provides companies with a clearly defined pathway specifying how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, in the context of their longer-term business growth. Its aim is to champion fact-based target setting in the transition to the low-carbon economy.
WHAT ARE SCIENCE BASED TARGETS?
Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered “science based” if they are in line with what is required to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius, and pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, compared to preindustrial temperatures.
OUR PUBLISHED COMMITMENT WITH SBTi
CAROUSEL CALENDARS COMMITS TO REDUCING SCOPE 1 AND SCOPE 2 GHG EMISSIONS 46% BY 2030 FROM A 2019 BASE YEAR, AND TO MEASURE AND REDUCE ITS SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS. OUR COMMITMENT IS IN LINE WITH A 1.5-DEGREE PATHWAY.
All companies that are signed up to SBTi have their targets published on the SBTi website: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/companies-taking-action/
FURTHER TO THIS WE ALSO AIM TO ENCOURAGE 50% OF OUR KEY PRODUCT SUPPLIERS TO SIGN UP TO SBTi BY 2025
SMILEY SETS AMBITIOUS PARTNER TARGETS THROUGH FUTURE POSITIVE
The fashion icon and lifestyle brand, Smiley has set targets to ‘transform its business’ over the next five years with a goal to bring 100% of its licensing partners into alignment with its Future Positive trademark by 2026.
As an IP company, Smiley is currently working with its partners to encourage best practices within the supply chain, providing creative design inspiration across the categories that includes sustainable design, material recommendations, and industry insight.
Future Positive is Smiley’s long-term sustainability strategy as the firm “progresses a business model that encompasses the UN’s 17 SDGs”. Its efforts focus primarily on responsible consumption and production to increase resource efficiency, embrace the circular economy, and promote sustainable lifestyles.
Within the next five years, Smiley aims for 50% of Smiley Products to adhere to its sustainable criteria while 100% of its licensees signed by 2026 will make products in alignment with its Future Positive trademark.
The company also aims to see 100% of its Smiley Originals and SmileyWorld packaging, POS, and brand marketing assets made from recycled and recyclable materials.
“Future Positive is about taking action, not just talking about it,” said Charlotte Rakowski, vp of sustainability at Smiley.
“We do, however, recognise that sustainability is a journey and we welcome the opportunity to work with brands at the beginning of their journey to brands that are further advanced, as long as we are aligned with core values and views on sustainability.”
TEEMILL JOINS FORCES WITH SHOPIFY TO DRIVE CIRCULAR UNTAGGED GAMIFIES SECOND-HAND SHOPPING FOR GEN Z
Untagged is helping fashion-conscious shoppers level up their wardrobes by gamifying resale through its interactive second hand ‘shwopping’ app.
The app experience challenges users to complete missions and trade clothes to earn Untagged’s in-game currency, TT. This TT can be used to purchase second hand clothing from other users in a cashless shopping system.
The only money spent is that for postage and packaging.
The platform is the brainchild of Untagged ceo and founder, Gayle Harrison who spotted the rise in demand for pre-loved among Generation Z but was aware than many are still put off by “boring, time-consuming, transactional” systems.
“We want to change this by making it fun and rewarding,” said Gayle. “Untagged has gamified the experience in a similar way to how Duolingo has gamified learning a foreign language: you still have to do the work, but at least we can make it fun for you to do it.”
Gayle and Untagged are now challenging big, high street brands to get on board with the app and its aim to perpetuate the circular economy for fashion.
“We need high street brands to change their supply chains to embrace more circular business models and new, sustainable fabrics. Things are happening, but not quickly enough,” Gayle said. “In the UK alone, there is £30bn worth of unworn clothing sitting in our wardrobes. Untagged is committed to making real change in this fastmoving space to help make fashion more sustainable, and healthier on the pockets.”
The sustainable print-on-demand specialist, Teemill is joining forces with the all-in-one commerce platform Shopify to bring circular fashion to customers around the world.
The partnership will not only streamline processes for Shopify customers to source, print, and store their products before shipping them, but drive Teemill’s mission to bring circular principles to the mainstream through its Remill technology.
The Teemill Shopify app will handle the entire supply chain process while using only organic materials that can be sent back when worn out to be made into new products.
“The idea behind Teemill has always been a simple one – to end waste and give as many people as possible the opportunity to play their part,” said Tobias Penner, chief operating officer at Teemill.
“Ecommerce platforms like Teemill and Shopify are transforming the landscape of fashion. By giving anyone the power to create the sustainable and circular products they want to see on the market, you start to fundamentally challenge the traditional fashion industry.”
Teemill has more than 10,000 stores using its technology, including Greenpeace, WWF, and BBC Earth. Its Remill technology has helped divert 30,000kg or organic cotton from landfill, avoiding 1 million kg of CO2e emissions to date.
The team’s goal is to take 100 million items “back around the loop” by 2027. Scaling the business through its partnerships will play a key role in achieving this goal, which is why Teemill has also recently launched its first APIs, allowing anyone to connect any online platform to its supply chain.
“Anyone will be able to use it to create new products, leaner and more efficient ways of operating, and jump ahead on the circular economy,” said Tobias. SMALL WORLD ACCESSORIES EYES BIG PLANS FOR CARBON REDUCTION
Reducing carbon emissions across its production and UK operations is the next hurdle on the sustainability trail for Small World Accessories, the team has told Products of Change.
The accessories specialist has already implemented vast new measures across its production systems over the past 12 months, introducing recycled materials into 73% of its product portfolio since February 2021, only narrowly missing its projected target of 80%.
With its AW 2022 ranges running at 79%, placing responsibly produced alternatives in the hands of its target audience, Small World Accessories is eyeing the next move along its journey towards reduced impact and improved sustainability.
Attention will now turn to improving its reporting and process implementation to reduce carbon emissions across its Tier 1 factories as well as its own UK operations.
“The proactive discussions we are having with our factories regarding carbon emission reduction processes is really exciting,” said Dominic Galvin, managing director of Small World Accessories. “We know this will take time but when the momentum kicks in then we will start to see positive results. “As a business, we are excited about having these discussions rather than passively waiting for others.”
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