Create an “eco-friendly” interior, plant live grass in the store, attach appropriate green labels to products, and you can call yourself an “eco-company”? No, things won’t work that way, and consumers, especially young people, will quickly “spot on” the fake.

In the photo: Anna Balandina, owner of the visual merchandising agency VM Guru

All more people and brands are aware of the scale of environmental problems. Therefore, they are actively “groping” for ways to help nature or at least reduce their harmful impact on it.

This is how the concept of eco-friendly (environmentally friendly) appeared.

It is predicted that in 10 years, companies whose assortment does not include products marked “Eco” will be in little demand. The reason is the consequences of the aggressive impact on the environment and the awareness of late millennials and representatives of generation Z. After all, they are the ones who will experience everything that scares us today: large-scale disasters and the uncontrolled rampant of the elements. And for them, the manufacturer’s activity in reducing harm to nature is the most important element for building trust in the brand.

Eco-friendly is not unprofitable, but even profitable. There are already people, brands that have made money exclusively from “green business”.

Why am I suddenly writing about this?

This year we are involved in a couple of global network restaling projects. Before developing one of the design pre-concepts in the “Eco” style, we studied the competitive environment of the Customer’s brand and understood the following:

Russian brands have heard and are aware of the success of Eco promotion strategies, but not everyone has realized that if you “declare” yourself as an eco-friendly brand, through POS communication, natural materials in decoration, a green logo that repeats the shapes of living nature, etc. At the same time, you do not have the right to remain an “empty” brand, a brand that is limited to branding only. You are responsible for your application and your status. And if now it’s “rolling”, and eco-friendly design works, then sooner or later you will be caught in a lie, and buyers will turn away from you.

What kind of brand do you need to be to proudly be called “Eco-friendly” and broadcast this through your promotion strategies? Let's look at 5 brands that can safely be called the flagships of the global eco-movement. They clearly and purposefully convey their values ​​and it is through their honest position that they attract millions of consumers.

Top 5 brands of "Eco-heroes"

Stella McCartney

It is unlikely that you will be able to find a more eco-conscious fashion designer than Stella McCartney (daughter of the famous Beatle). She is considered the creator of the first eco-friendly brand in the field of high fashion. In life, Stella is a vegetarian and preaches healthy image life, never wears natural leather or fur.

“There is nothing fashionable about a dead animal,” she declares and completely refuses to use these materials in her collections.

Since launching his eponymous brand in 2001, the designer has increased the amount of organic cotton he uses every year and never uses strong dyes. Faux leather is made from the right combination of materials such as vegetan, recycled plastic and birkiflor.

The designer recently chose a real landfill in eastern Scotland as the location for her advertising campaign. In the photo, the models are not afraid to wallow in mountains of garbage and lie on rusty cars.

Photos by Harley Weir

Patagonia

Patagonia– truly legendary brand, founded by Yvon Chouinard, an icon of mountaineering and rock climbing. In 1957, an American improved special equipment for rock climbing. At first I used it myself, and then I started selling it and created my own brand. Today the brand is one of the most successful in the segment of clothing and equipment for outdoor activities.

The basis for clothing development "Patagonia" two principles were adopted: the use innovative technologies and environmentally friendly production.

It is difficult to compete with Patagonia in terms of technology: the number of patents per company is measured in double digits. And most of the patents are environmentally friendly!

In 1996, the brand abandoned the use of conventional (ordinary) cotton and began developing new high-tech fabrics, mainly based on polyester from recycled plastic bottles and end-of-life items.

Another know-how of the company is a special water-repellent Deluge technology, which is used to treat outerwear, thereby at least doubling her life.
Needless to say that jackets, parkas, cashmere are produced within the framework of sustainability and fair trade principles?

The life of Yvon Chouinard served as the basis for the film 180º South, directed by Chris Malloy.

On the cover:
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard on the cover of Fortune magazine. Source: Getty Images

TOMS

The founder of the brand, Blake Mycoskie, while traveling, saw how many children in poor countries did not have shoes. Then he decided that he needed to create a company that would give shoes to a child from a poor family for every pair sold. This is how the one-to-one business model emerged.

In 13 years, TOMS has donated more than a billion pairs of shoes to 40 developing countries. The brand's charitable programs include supplies of clean drinking water, ophthalmologist services, baby birth kits.

In addition to charity, the brand also “professes” the principles of eco-business. Shoes and packaging are made from environmentally friendly materials, which are then recycled.

Beyond Meat

The startup Beyond Meat has conquered its native America with vegetarian and vegan burgers. Instead of meat, they contain pea or soy protein, yeast, oils and plant fibers.

By 2019, the startup became one of the main suppliers of artificial meat for burgers in the United States, conquered the Hong Kong market and entered the UK.

Even one of the main investors, Bill Gates, could not distinguish the company’s products from burgers made from real meat. In addition to him, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Obvious Corporation, Tyson Foods and others invested in Beyond Meat.

Lush Cosmetics

The brand of natural cosmetics is, first of all, popular due to the fact that all products are made by hand and are not tested on animals.

The company reduced packaging waste and also introduced the fashion for solid shampoos (which look like a bar of soap). Discounts apply to customers who bring empty packaging for recycling. In addition, the company's success encourages other brands to follow suit.
And these are just five of my personal favorites, and there are many more brands and personalities – eco-heroes! Elon Musk (Tesla & Solar City), Apple, Freedom of Animals, Reformation, Wirpo EcoEnergy, Seventh Generation, Food bio Pack, Veja, and many others.

The trend towards environmental friendliness is developing dynamically, and brands that take this into account and honestly and sincerely implement it in their products will certainly gain a strong competitive advantage in communicating with a young audience, with those who will become the main consumers in ten years. This means, I am sure, that the list of interesting, powerful eco-oriented companies will only expand!

owner of visual merchandising agency VM Guru

Environmentally friendly or environment-friendly, (also use abbreviated expressions eco-friendly, nature-friendly And green) - are stable and marketing terms relating to goods and services, laws and policies that do not affect or reduce Negative influence on our environment and nature.

Companies use these terms to promote goods and services, often supported by certificates and eco-friendly labels.

Environmental Standards

International organization Standardization has developed the ISO 14020 and ISO 14024 standards to establish principles and procedures for environmental labels and declarations. This is what organic product certification bodies must comply with. More specifically, these standards address the avoidance of financial conflicts of interest, the use of proprietary scientific methods and accepted review procedures, and the conditions of openness in setting standards.

Environmental certification in Russia and Western countries

In Russia, environmental certification is not mandatory for many areas of business and only applies to products. In Western countries, environmental certification is required for:

• products (remember the iPhone, where Tim Cook constantly claims that the product is environmentally friendly)
• objects environment and environmental products
• technologies and results of intellectual activity

We can talk endlessly about the sad environmental situation in Russia and the world, but people are designed in such a way (at least the vast majority) that until we see all the pain/sadness/catastrophe with our own eyes, until plastic bags and fish start flowing from the tap in a nearby pond they won’t float up belly up until the air around turns into impenetrable smog, and even weeds will stop growing in the garden at the dacha, we are unlikely to realize: “Something is going wrong!”

For everyone who wants to see how the world around us is immersed in plastic - welcome. But that's not what this is about.

Translators of ideas

Corporate culture is an organism that grows and adapts to modern realities. If a couple of years ago the work of QC and VC specialists was limited to telling about the latest awards of colleagues, organizing a corporate party and giving everyone gifts for the New Year, now companies understand that corporate culture is a transmitter of values.
Modern companies have taken up the wave of environmental initiatives. Because..

a) we can no longer remain silent about this

b) large companies are opinion leaders and actively create and participate in eco-initiatives themselves.

Inspire and help

2. Implement (if you have not already started) some initiatives on your site;

3. You can definitely become a good example.

Eco-friendly

Catch 5 simple eco-initiatives that you can broadcast and implement in your companies:

1. Save paper. In offices, this resource often goes down the drain. One incorrectly typed word, a piece of paper placed crookedly during scanning - everything goes to waste. Stop! Let us remember that paper is like trees that do not grow as fast as we throw out damaged sheets. Firstly. Write and type your drafts on both sides. Secondly. Install a container in your office to collect used waste paper.

Example: EcoLine company is engaged in separate waste collection, including waste paper.

For inspiration! Once a quarter, less or more often, waste paper collection competitions can be organized between departments.

2. Sort waste. If it's difficult to start with completely sorting your waste, start small. For example, put batteries in special containers, or better yet, install them in your office. The Boxy battery recycling service can help you with this.

3. Avoid disposable cups. You can drink coffee in the morning or get water in a reusable mug or bottle. New Year is approaching - give your employees branded thermal mugs. It’s always nice to take a cool, stylish mug with you and move around the office with a businesslike look. :)

4. Don't throw away your clothes. Install eco-boxes at work to collect clothes, shoes and accessories. From these containers, clothing is distributed in several ways: recycling, sale in charity shops or donation to those in need. Installing a box can be a one-time or ongoing event in your company. You can find out more about this in the Charity shop.

5. Plastic bag, I'll tell you "No!" Let's take the idea of ​​a thermal mug at New Year(or any other holiday), we’ll pack it in a convenient canvas bag and begin to instill in our employees a love of useful things - going grocery shopping with a bag, not a bag.

The main thing is to start

According to research, the most difficult thing in any business is to start, but as soon as you take the first step towards the implementation of a particular task, everything will go, go, fly. Well, and most importantly, at the very first stage, throw away the obsessive, stereotypical and absolutely incorrect thought: “What can I do alone? Nothing will change!” Remember, everything big starts from small things. It is doubly pleasant to implement such initiatives in a company; it triggers a chain effect and word of mouth.

Be environmentally friendly and pleasantly infectious in your ideas! ;)

Following eco-tips can be very useful, even if you are skeptical about the increasingly popular movement. What is interesting about an eco-friendly lifestyle (besides “improving” the environment)? It's very simple - it can lead to awareness. After all, fighters for cleanliness in nature are also adherents of the slow down philosophy, which many should think about, especially residents of noisy megacities.

Say no to takeaway coffee

Yes, this is due to the problem of environmental friendliness of plastic cups, which are recycled with great difficulty in Russia. But have you ever thought that a lifestyle based on take away takes away all the fun from the process? On the go, you are unlikely to fully appreciate the flavor nuances of coffee. Stop - take a drink in a cup and devote 10-15 minutes to yourself. No rush, you, coffee and your thoughts.

If you still find it difficult to give up takeaway coffee, consider a reusable coffee cup. Firstly, it looks stylish, and secondly, many coffee shops give a discount for it.

Buy a cloth bag

You may notice that many residents of big cities have acquired minimalist canvas bags. This is indeed a very convenient thing that will accommodate not only a laptop and notebooks, but also simple products. Taking a reusable bag with you to the store will help you avoid thousands of unnecessary plastic bags and add another stylish detail to your look.

Don't act automatically

We do a lot of things automatically. So before you make a purchase, stop and think. How many unnecessary impulsive purchases could be avoided if we asked ourselves more often: do I really need this antiseptic (after all, it dries out the skin) or why do I need another pair of trousers from the mass market? Conscious consumption is not only a step towards an eco-friendly lifestyle, but also towards the aesthetics of minimalism. And the best way to avoid spontaneous purchases is lists.

Get a water bottle

Not only for sports, but also for study or work. This will naturally reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic in your life and be more conscious of your hydration. After all, the bottle will always be at hand, and you will know exactly what quality it is.

Get out old things

Each of us has once told ourselves that “I have nothing to wear again.” And the first thing that comes to mind is that you urgently need to go to the store. But wait, review your own wardrobe and take out old things. Perhaps that blouse you wore 5 years ago has become fashionable again. Rifle through your mom's or grandma's closet and you might find some stylish vintage pieces that are just right for you. This approach corresponds to the environmentally friendly method of reuse - reusing any thing. To make an old skirt sparkle with new colors, sometimes it is enough to darn it slightly and add some detail.

You can't just point your finger at the factories and blame them for everything. environmental problems- everything works together. The more conscious we are about recycling, the faster we will reduce our impact on the environment, and the first step in improving the environment can be changing your own habits.

1. Understand the problem

Understanding the problem is the first step to solving it. Check out the TED videos on environmental change. Only when you realize the scale will you understand that it's not just about how corporations operate, but also about what you buy or how you throw away trash.

2. Use reusable bottles

Bottled water is incredibly wasteful: 80% of it is not recycled, and due to the production process, it takes three liters of water just to produce one.

Glass bottles retain water much longer than regular plastic bottles, not to mention they can look pretty cute. You can invest in a reusable coffee thermos - any large chain like Starbucks will easily pour your own coffee into your own container.

3. Go to second-hand stores

Stock and second-hand stores aren't just for vintage lovers. Next time you're looking for a new shirt or summer dress, go to your local store and look for a new wardrobe item. Not only will it cost you less, it's also much more environmentally friendly - think of it like recycling clothes.

4. Limit your shower

Limit the amount of time you spend in the shower. Not only is this good for the health of the planet, but it will also help reduce your hot water bill. Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, or scrape your dishes instead of rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher.

5. Study the labels

You can start reading labels to see if the item is eco-friendly and recyclable. For example, choose tampons that are made from 100% organic cotton, or toilet paper with expandable sleeve.

6. Wear your own clothes

People are throwing away clothes and accessories at an alarming rate, with 26 pounds of textiles ending up in their landfills, according to environmentalists in the United States. Of course, you can do more for this situation by donating your clothes or recycling them. But this does not address the main problem - we buy an unreasonable amount of clothes.

Conscious consumption means knowing when something really needs to be donated and when it can be repaired and continued to be worn.

7. Start cycling

If you have several tasks that you need to complete over the weekend in different parts of the city, take a bike or go for a walk. You can use a special rental service or choose.

8. Buy a canvas bag

Modern companies welcome environmental solutions and support the environmental protection system by creating special canvas bags. Stop using bags, and when you go shopping, take only this - by the way, it doesn’t take up much space in your bag and can even fit into a clutch.

9. Use cloth napkins

Stop using disposable handkerchiefs or rolls of napkins for cleaning, and switch to viscose or cotton towels. Not only will this save you a lot of waste, but using cloth napkins can also save you money.

An easy way to reduce your carbon footprint is to buy locally grown food. In fact, by purchasing vegetables or milk from companies other than yours, you are supporting local dairies and farms and reducing greenhouse gases. In addition, you can grow food in your own window, such as fresh herbs or some varieties of tomatoes, and share them with friends.

12. Find out where to donate batteries

Subscribe to thematic communities to learn about promotions for the collection and recycling of hazardous substances. Unfortunately, in Russia there are currently only a few factories that recycle batteries, so collection points are opened once a month. Set reminders in your calendar and receive useful bonuses for awareness from collection companies.