PPB October 2021

to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ June 2021 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey. Another survey conducted in 2020 by Boston Consulting Group, which collected insights from 3,000 consumers across eight countries, found that 70 percent of consumers feel they are more aware post- pandemic of human activities that are threatening to the environment, and how environmental degradation poses a threat to health, safety and well-being. Moving forward, one-third of respondents said they’re practicing sustainable behaviors consistently and about one-fourth said they’re doing so more robustly. “When using eco-friendly products, it’s important for both the client and their consumer to fully understand how their use of the product is contributing to preserving our Earth. We like the idea that you can be eco-friendly without having to change much of your daily life, it’s just that most people aren’t aware of how easy it is to be eco-friendly and sustainable when making purchasing choices, so it’s our duty as the supplier to educate our clients,” says Lauren Piller, sales and marketing specialist with Eco Marketing Solutions, an Austin, Texas, distributor that specializes in green promotional products solutions. “I’m noticing a lot more requests for eco-friendly apparel and home kitchen goods. To me, this means that not only are we growing consciously in large-scale corporate organizations, but also in everyday aspects of life as simple as switching out plastic straws for reusable straws for tumblers.” With consumers ready, willing and interested in committing to greener practices, they’re looking to brands to help direct action and follow the mission through. Consumers today highly value transparency, and for brands to clearly and easily share information about the contents of their products and also their origins. The 2020 Consumer Survey Key Findings report published by nonprofit global movement Fashion Revolution— which surveyed 5,000 consumers across Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK to learn what consumers are looking for when it comes to brands’ social and environmental impact—found that 78 percent of consumers want brands to provide thorough information about a product’s environmental impact, and 70 percent want brands to provide info about the wages and working conditions of people in the supply chain. Consumers expect companies to do more than simply sell products, but they’re also willing to contribute to the effort. In a survey of 18,980 consumers across 28 countries published last year by IBM Institute for Business Value, in association with National Retail Federation, 71 percent of respondents said that traceability is so important to them, that they’d be willing to pay a premium for brands that support recycling, practice sustainability, and/or are environmentally responsible. What’s Hot In Eco Wear Sustainable fashion is in style, not only because of its giveback component, but also because many available styles are trending, commonly appearing in high- fashion shows worldwide. Read below for a few timely options to consider in eco- friendly apparel. Beloved sweatpants. The past two years have seen marked shifts in consumers’ day-to-day dress. Many people underwent a transition of business professional and casual to loungewear and athleisure, to a combination of both (business casual on top, sweatpants on the bottom) for meetings on Zoom. Now, consumers are continuing to make comfort a priority, Brands Can Benefit From Adding Action Behind Their Mission With consumers not only interested in eco-conscious products, supply chain practices and brand involvement, there’s certainly potential for brands to benefit and profit as well. With sustainability transforming into somewhat of a buzz word, it can appear daunting for brands to consider how to approach the concept while also remaining authentic. A 2020 report from IBM Institute for Business Value, in association with National Retail Federation, outlines four actionable steps that companies can take to strategic plan their green goals: 1 Earn consumers’ confidence through transparency and traceability. 2 Factor in consumers’ willingness to contribute to the cause. 3 Leverage sustainability as a driver for end-to-end operations. 4 Align sustainability initiatives to your core competency. | OCTOBER 2021 | 17 INNOVATE