4 brands putting the environment first

12 Jul 2021 • 3 minute read

From paper to plastic and shoes to food, consumers around the world are increasingly scrutinizing what products and brands they use. The problem of climate change is not going away, and public opinion has shifted towards more environmentally friendly practices. As a result, sustainability within a brand is no longer a matter of preference but a defining factor in the buying process for customers. The public is more mindful than ever when it comes to which brands they buy from and there has been a growing trend in demand for environmentally friendly brands or businesses that are mindful of sustainability and their impact on the environment.

Here are just some of the eco-friendly brands that are actively putting the environment at the forefront of their strategy.

Patagonia

Being one of the most successful retailers of activewear has not stopped Patagonia from being one of the most trailblazing eco-friendly brands. At its core, the brand’s corporate philosophy is focused on being an environmentally friendly company that is heavily involved in activism and advocacy.

Since 1985 Patagonia has created a self-imposed Earth Tax, pledging 1% of its sales to preservation and restoration of the natural environment, this has resulted in the brand awarding $140 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international environmental groups.

Patagonia has not only just stuck to financially supporting environmentalism but have reworked how their own company works in producing goods. The brand’s US offices and factories met 100% of their electricity needs with renewable energy in 2019, this shows the eco-friendly ethos is not just a marketing campaign but embedded in their business goals and culture.

Patagonia is also heavily involved in regenerative organic cotton growing, working and exploring with their cotton suppliers to find more sustainable ways of sourcing materials and 64% of the fabrics used in Patagonia products are from recycled materials. For a company that produces everything from jackets and sweaters to wetsuits and backpacks, this is a huge step in being an environmentally friendly brand.

Adidas

As one of the biggest brands in the world, the iconic footwear and sportswear brand have been actively going green and plan to continue in the future. The brand is heavily invested in companies that contribute to a sustainable society and are taking actions to ensure their own business is becoming more sustainable.

Adidas has implemented a ‘green attitude’ throughout their whole company and the results have been quite remarkable. Between 2015 and 2016 the brand with three stripes was able to reduce its Co2 emissions by 29%. The brand has also taken a closer look at how it produces product and have been working with their suppliers, experimenting with alternative fabrics and materials that are more environmentally friendly.

Adidas has made strong commitments to being environmentally friendly and has stated it will only use recycled plastic in its footwear and clothing by 2024. So far Adidas are using recycled plastic waste in 11 million pairs of shoes it produces have launched the Futurecraft. Loop shoe made entirely from recyclable materials in 2021.

Iggesund

At Green Gift Cards, we pride ourselves on working with only sustainable and recyclable materials for all of our eco-friendly membership cards, loyalty cards and sustainable gift cards.

That’s why we pride ourselves on working with Holman Iggesund and get all our retail gift card material made at their paper mill in Sweden.

Iggesund manages its own forest, which means for each of our gift cards that are produced, new trees are planted to minimise the impact on the environment. On average,  the paper mill plant 32 million trees each year but only harvests one-third of all those trees which in effect means they are expanding the forest every year, so they plant at least 3 for every tree they harvest to use in production.

This enables us at Green Gift Cards to ensure our gift cards, along with our eco-friendly packaging are completely sustainable. Due to the use of paperboard over plastic, the brand is accredited as ‘Plastic Free’ by A Plastic Planet, yet another brand putting the environment first. A Plastic Planet is a campaigning group founded in 2017 which hands out ‘Plastic Free’ accreditation to those who want to make a difference. Not only do they help businesses work towards a plastic-free strategy, but the accreditation helps consumers who want to purchase plastic-free options recognise which products are plastic-free so they can make an informed decision on the brands they buy from.

Clean Kitchen Club

Clean Kitchen was created during the first lockdown in 2020 after the founder embarked on a new fitness regime and embraced the benefits of a plant-based diet. From a small takeaway and kitchen in Brighton to what’s now around 3 locations in London, Clean Kitchen is quickly expanding to give people more choice when it comes to eating more sustainably.

What’s more, in 2021, they’ve launched even more sustainable partnerships, planting a tree in Ghana for every meal sold, as well as donating to charities dedicated to ending cruel farming practices. On top of that, they’re looking to build their own allotment, go waste-free and start-up their ‘clean arts’ fund to support unprivileged youths in pursuing their dreams in the arts industry.

These brands are just a few examples of how building environment practices into your strategy will not stop the growth and success of a brand but can help grow the business and reach a larger audience. These brands have had huge success in going green and can tap into a huge market of consumers who are looking for products and services that are sustainable and take environmental impact into account.

These companies are demonstrating that being environmentally friendly and sustainable does not just mean supporting campaigners and green activist groups but also means rethinking how a brand does business and how you help your customers.