Environmental Sustainability

A Nike customer is accusing the brand of greenwashing. In a complaint filed May 10 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, plaintiff Maria Guadalupe Ellis claimed that Nike uses “deceptive and misleading” statements when marketing its sustainability collection. Specifically, the suit claims that Nike “deceives consumers into believing that they're receiving…

Jay Robinson is chief innovation officer and senior vice president of global business development at Renfro Brands, a 100-year-old legacy sock and hosiery manufacturer and retailer. In this video interview with Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan, Robinson discusses his role and its impact across the organization, how sustainability is integrated into Renfro Brands' holistic innovation strategy, and…

Diverting textiles from landfills is increasingly becoming a top-of-mind concern for clothing manufacturers and retailers alike. In the face of legislative changes, consumers are more aware of the environmental impact of their clothing choices. The fashion industry generates around 92 million tons of textile waste each year, which not only clogs up landfills, but also…

In episode 398 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Lyndie Benson, founder of Bleusalt, a luxury apparel brand offering elevated basics made sustainably in the United States. Benson shares an overview of the Bleusalt brand (0:55), her inspiration for launching the business (1:40) and how its sustainable Tencel fabric is produced (3:00). She…

More customers are becoming aware of the environmental issues we're all facing. With this in mind, companies need to design packaging that's not only sustainable but also stands out on the shelf. Reducing the environmental impact and attracting customers are important aspects of the design process. Here are some tips for developing visually appealing and…

Consumers have long said they prefer sustainable products, and a new study shows that they've been putting their money where their mouth is. Researchers from McKinsey and NielsenIQ studied 600,000 products from 44,000 brands and conclusively found that products that make environmental, social and governance (ESG) claims experienced faster growth than products without them. This…

Best Buy is extending its gadget recycling program to include a new mail-in option. The retailer will now sell you a box for your used electronics that you can ship back for recycling, saving a trip to the store. Best Buy says it’s recycled 2.7 billion pounds of electronics and appliances through its existing programs,…

One of the first times I saw a retailer divert a consumer from using a single-use plastic bag was at a certain Swedish home goods store almost 15 years ago. It was charging a few cents to use a single-use plastic bag or selling the now globally recognized oversized blue and yellow reusable bag for…

The environmental toll of the fashion industry is astounding. Each year the fashion industry creates an estimated 92 million tons of textile waste while creating nearly 20 percent of the world’s water pollution. Sixty percent of apparel products today aren’t recyclable, so most of them are dumped in landfills or burned. And it gets worse:…

As Total Retail reported last week, H&M launched a resale program in collaboration with thredUP. “H&M Pre-Loved” offers shoppers an easy way to find secondhand pieces for their wardrobes. The new shop also continues the retailer’s sustainability mission of establishing circular business models for itself and customers. To learn more about its new resale program, Total Retail connected with Abigail…