Why Green Packaging in the Fashion Industry Is Not Always a Good Idea
Environmental alert: facing the urge of green packaging in the fashion industry
The Covid-19 situation and recent environmental reports published by scientists are (again) urging people, globally and individually, professionally and personally, to change their way of consuming and to focus on protecting the environment. A real step back and corresponding change in people’s attitude towards consumption were observed during the Covid-19 crisis, according to studies.
According to The Wall Street Journal, 2021 was the sixth hottest year on record and scientists could not be more pessimist about the coming years with the pollution of the oceans being one of the most dangerous consequences of this drive to conspicuous consumption.
Have you heard about the 8th continent? It is not some paradisiac island but more a scary Bermuda triangle. The 8th continent, or plastic continent, is located in the Pacific and can be considered as a mountain of plastic, measuring almost three times the size of France, according to Iberdrola infographics. Iberdrola is a Spanish company specialized in the production, distribution and marketing of electricity and natural gas.
A new trend emerged a few years ago, a mix between eco-responsible initiatives regarding packaging components and for some brands, a new way of standing out from the crowd. But this whole new industry is (potentially) hiding something.
Trend alert: the Greenwashing processes
Let’s talk about biodegradable plastic and bi-component packaging. These quotes sound very ‘green’ to our sensitive ears and souls, but are often little more than greenwashing. Why?
Let’s focus on biodegradable plastic. Paulius Bukšnys, a labelling and packaging expert working for L-Print ApS, a highly innovative labelling packaging company, in Denmark, explains:
‘Biodegradable means that the material will break down into its base components. However, this does not indicate how long it will take and if the resulting product is safe to use. Biodegradation is just the process of nature breaking down materials into their component parts. Biodegradable things aren’t always strictly “organic” and microplastics can be the result of this process.’
Both brands and consumers need to be more aware and better informed about this greenwashing process.
Sandrine Noël, Senior Corporate Environment Manager at Louis Vuitton, is managing the company’s environmental approach by leading change and integrating meaningful and growth-generating dimensions:
‘The Committed Journey of Louis Vuitton is a program that we implemented a few years ago to guide and manage the corporation’s environmental-friendly initiatives and acts. Among them, we chose very wisely our suppliers and raw materials, while never compromising the quality of product protection and customer experience. This is not about communication, this is about raising awareness, of both our consumers and collaborators.’
Multinational corporations and global luxury houses represent quality, savoir-faire and excellence and this is the reason why they have to show the example in terms of commitment, reliability and problem-solving.
Who can we trust as a consumer?
Many labels and certifications exist to allow you to wisely and consciously choose brands for your next purchase. For instance, packaging made with cotton and paper should be certified by the FSC label (Forest Stewardship Council). The FSC have 3 labels: 100%, mixed and recycled, and is guiding brands to go for a more sustainable way of producing.
And as a brand?
If you are interested in finding a reliable solution for your company, you could take a look at Vela’s paper bag. Their motto, ‘Replacing plastic with paper’, seems like science-fiction but is not. It is created with six main characteristics, such as weather resistance, transparency and is curbside recyclable. You can also adapt the transparency and the thickness of the paper you choose to adapt to your products and the size is tailor-made to your needs. Discover more here:
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About Me
Studying in the luxury field and digital business students at Grenoble Ecole de Management, I want to provide meaningful marketing content about current matters to give you insights into the world.
About this article
This article has been written by a student on the Grenoble Ecole de Management’s Advanced Masters in Digital Strategy Management. As part of a content creation assignment, students are given the task of writing articles based on their digital interests and disseminate the articles online. Articles are marked but we make minimal changes to the content. Thanks for reading! James Barisic, Programme Director, MS DSM.
