Jennifer Elks
Managing Editor
Sustainable Brands
INVISTA Unveils Renewable, Bio-Based LYCRA Material
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / INVISTA, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibers, and owner of the LYCRA® brand, today introduces the first commercial offering of a bio-derived spandex — the stretchy fabric commonly found in swimwear, sportswear and dancewear.The company says approximately 70 percent by weight of the new LYCRA® bio-derived spandex fiber comes from a renewable source made from dextrose, derived from corn. The use of a renewable feedstock in the making of this new LYCRA® bio-derived fiber results in a lower CO2 emissions footprint than spandex produced using traditional raw materials. - 9 years ago
Shareholders Again Ask Abbott Labs to Label GM Ingredients in Baby Formula
Marketing and Comms / Shareholders at Abbott Laboratories’ annual meeting last week sent a message to management and the Board of Directors — for the second year in a row — that they are concerned about the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the company’s Similac infant formula. The shareholder resolution, filed by environmental health advocacy organization As You Sow, was supported by 6.7 percent of shareholders, representing over $2.2 billion in shares. - 9 years ago
Fashion and Textile Leaders for Forest Conservation Begin Shift to Forest-Free Viscose
Collaboration / The newest trend in social responsibility in the apparel sector emerged in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam on Monday as several of the world’s most influential clothing brands gathered to develop a roadmap to creating a more sustainable supply chain and conserve endangered forests. - 9 years ago
Murphy-Goode Winery Redesigns Tasting Room for “Goode” Times with Inspiration from Sonoma County Roots
Press Release / (Healdsburg, Calif.) – To better welcome visitors and showcase the fun, authentic and carefree spirit of its brand, Murphy-Goode has remodeled its tasting room, located just off the plaza in Healdsburg, CA. The design concept aimed to deliver the “essence” of a Sonoma County barn and include genuine Murphy-Goode elements from original winery owner, Tim Murphy; and, of course, to capture the spirit of humor and “goode” times, two key pillars for the brand. - 9 years ago
Avery Dennison, Rainforest Alliance Partner to Promote Sustainable Forestry in Honduras
Supply Chain / The Avery Dennison Foundation announced today it has awarded a $200,000 grant to the Rainforest Alliance to foster best practices in forestry management, create jobs and increase access to sustainably managed forest products.“As a leader in labeling and packaging, we’re in a unique position to move our industry toward sustainably sourced materials, and that includes investing in the communities that manage natural resources,” said Dean Scarborough, chairman, president and CEO of Avery Dennison. “By working with the Rainforest Alliance, we can improve the livelihoods of farmers and their families while creating economic dividends for the entire value chain.” - 9 years ago
McDonald's Reveals CSR/Sustainability Framework and Host of 2020 Goals
Organizational Change / This week, McDonald’s unveiled its first Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability Framework. The fast-food giant says the goal of the plan is to position the company for the future, while generating measurable, positive impacts for society.McDonald’s released the framework in conjunction with its 2012-2013 CSR & Sustainability Report, “Our Journey Together. For Good.”Among the company’s 2020 goals: - 9 years ago
HP’s Recycled Plastic Ink Cartridges Helping Customers Reduce Environmental Impact
Press Release / HP has announced that more than 75 percent of its ink cartridges and 24 percent of HP LaserJet toner cartridges are now manufactured with “closed loop” recycled plastic.This milestone represents a 50 percent increase in the number of HP ink cartridges manufactured with recycled content in the last year, giving customers more options for purchasing cartridges made with recycled content.As part of the company’s Living Progress strategy for driving human, economic and environmental progress, HP is identifying opportunities for action and innovation to create a better future. Through these innovations in plastics, HP is helping customers reduce their environmental impact and reduce the overall environmental impact of product use. - 9 years ago
H&M's Clevercare Labels Helping Customers Extend Clothing Life While Saving Energy, Water
Behavior Change / At the Copenhagen Fashion Summit last week, designer Stella McCartney made an appearance via video to announce the launch of H&M’s new Clevercare garment labels.Developed in collaboration with Swiss global standard wash care label company Ginetex, the Clevercare labels provide explicit care instructions designed to help customers get the most out of their clothing through proper care — which also leads to water and energy savings through less frequent machine-washing and drying, as well as guidance on ironing and professional laundering techniques. - 9 years ago
Unilever's Lux Soap Will Now Be Made with Algal Oils
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / Unilever and Solazyme announced today the incorporation of algal oils into Unilever’s Lux brand soap (branded Caress in the US), which Unilever says is the world’s best-selling bar soap. The move aligns with Unilever’s ambition to double the size of its business while reducing its overall environmental footprint, as part of which Unilever has made a commitment to using only sustainably sourced agricultural raw materials by 2020. - 9 years ago
'Make It, Take It' Campaign Pressuring Companies to Take Responsibility for Packaging Waste
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / A coalition of organizations devoted to waste and recycling, plastic pollution and resource conservation today launched the Make It, Take It Campaign, a collaborative effort to pressure consumer goods companies to take responsibility for packaging waste. Coordinated by UPSTREAM and backed by organizations including 5 Gyres, Clean Water Action, Green America and the National Resources Defense Council, the campaign aims to elevate the issue of packaging waste, put public pressure on consumer goods companies and educate and mobilize citizens to push for sustainable packaging policies. - 9 years ago
APP Announces Plan to Protect, Restore One Million Hectares of Indonesian Rainforest
Behavior Change / Just over a year after Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) launched its sector-leading Forest Conservation Policy (FCP), which committed to an immediate and permanent cessation of natural forest clearance across its supply chain, the Indonesian paper giant today announced a detailed plan to restore and support the conservation of one million hectares of rainforest across Indonesia. - 9 years ago
With Timbuk2’s 'Life Cycle,' Customers Can Reuse, Repair, Recycle and Reimagine Its Products
Collaboration / San Francisco-based Timbuk2, famous for its ubiquitous messenger bags, has launched the Timbuk2 Life Cycle — a robust environmental responsibility program to reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, and reimagine Timbuk2 bags — in partnership with yerdle, iFixit, and Terracycle.The company has also added a full-time tailor to implement the ‘repair’ aspect of the program. - 9 years ago
Unilever's New Plastic-Molding Process Could Save 27,000 Tons Per Year
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / Unilever announced on Tuesday that its Dove Body Wash will now come in bottles that contain at least 15 percent less plastic, thanks to a new packaging technology. Unilever says it will make the breakthrough process — which represents another step towards its goal to halve its waste footprint by 2020 — available for use throughout the industry. - 9 years ago
BetterWorld's 'Phone for Phone' Mobile Service Combines Affordable Plans, Social Impact
Product, Service & Design Innovation / Socially conscious mobile provider BetterWorld Wireless, in collaboration with Sprint, today launches its Phone for PhoneTM mobile service, which will provide digital access to people in need by donating a mobile device for every qualified new US mobile customer. - 9 years ago
Could the Scourge of the Seas Help Defeat the Scourge of the Landfill?
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / We all know climate change and pollution are beginning to wreak havoc around the world in a variety of ways. In tropical and Mediterranean areas, higher oceanic acidity and warmer temperatures in recent years have created, among other things, a proliferation of pesky and increasingly invasive jellyfish, which are clogging up industrial piping systems, frustrating fishermen, and stinging and creeping-out beach-goers. - 9 years ago
Waitrose, ITM Power Piloting Project to De-Carbonize Production of Industrial Fertilizer
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / UK supermarket chain Waitrose has teamed up with energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power Project to design and build a lower-impact system for the production of industrial fertilizer.Industrial fertilizer production, which involves converting natural gas and other fossil fuels into ammonia, is responsible for a substantial proportion of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Thanks to co-funding from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board, under its Agri-Tech program, the project will demonstrate the de-carbonization of fertilizer production. - 9 years ago
Colgate Commits to 100% Recyclable Packaging for Three of Four Product Categories by 2020
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / Shareholder advocacy group As You Sow (AYS) announced today that, after dialogue with AYS, personal care products giant Colgate-Palmolive has committed to making 100 percent of its packaging for three of four product categories completely recyclable by 2020. Colgate has also committed to developing a recyclable toothpaste tube or package, which would bring its fourth product category close to the same sustainability standard (perhaps the company can take a cue from this recent student redesign of its toothpaste tube!). Most toothpaste tubes are made from unrecyclable plastic laminates. - 9 years ago
Warby Parker, Architecture for Humanity Offering 'Good Design from the Foundation Up'
Product, Service & Design Innovation / “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” eyeglass brand Warby Parker has teamed up with San Francisco-based design nonprofit Architecture for Humanity (AFH) on a limited-edition set of two AFH-designed frames, inspired by architects' appreciation for innovative design and durable construction, according to AFH.Warby Parker says the two collaboration frames, Aslin and Fowler, are inspired by an appreciation for streamlined angles and durable materials — the company says it paired Japanese titanium to its signature acetate for extra durability. - 9 years ago
H&M, Solidaridad Expand Partnership to Tackle Host of Challenges in Textile Supply Chain
Supply Chain / H&M has formed a strategic alliance with Solidaridad, an international organization dedicated to creating responsible agricultural supply chains, to achieve more sustainable textile production. According to a post on Solidaridad’s blog, the parties have previously collaborated in sustainability projects and are now expanding their collaboration into a multiannual partnership. - 9 years ago
Naval Researchers Fly Model Plane with Fuel Derived from Seawater
Chemistry, Materials & Packaging / Researchers at the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Materials Science and Technology Division, have demonstrated proof-of-concept of NRL technologies developed for the recovery of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) from seawater and conversion to a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, according to the US Navy. - 9 years ago