Recycling Eco-Ethics: How Brands Are Staying Sustainable

Published on October 21, 2020, at 10:05 p.m.
by Allison Cohen.

The environment affects everyone and is a topic of discussion to which specialists and politicians are bringing more attention. People worldwide are debating how to conserve energy and the best ways to protect the planet. With this issue at hand, companies are taking note and embedding sustainability into their business models. Though sustainability has a large impact on the environment, it can also affect the public perception of a brand. Staying eco-friendly can be a modern, ethical way of driving consumer interaction with brands from all types of industries.

From fashion-forward clothing companies to reusable product lines, brands have found ways to support the environment while appealing to specific audiences.

ChicoBag is an environmentally conscious brand that offers everything from reusable shopping bags to food containers and utensils. Eco-friendly brands like ChicoBag make environmental efforts the main part of their brand identities. This strategy is used to promote ethical manufacturing while providing value to stakeholders. The core value of the holistic brand is to make the planet better than the company found it.

By focusing on recycling, composting and reducing paper waste, ChicoBag has used its brand to portray an eco-friendly and ethical business model with the main focus of giving back to the environment.

Andy Kheller, the founder and CEO of ChicoBag, focuses on reducing the impact his company has on the environment because he believes that all businesses should be transparent and give consumers the option to choose brands that are environmentally responsible.

“There is a growing number of consumers that are aware of the growing threats to our planet and want to do something to be part of the solution. Essentially they can support companies that are part of the solution by voting with their dollars,” Kheller said.

Part of ChicoBags’ business model includes awareness campaigns designed to interact with consumers and promote eco-friendly lifestyle choices. Through its Bag Monster Campaign, ChicoBag relays to the public how much plastic can be saved by switching to reusable products.

The Bag Monster is a costume worn by a volunteer used to visually show the impact single-use plastic bags have on our environment. Each costume is draped with 500 plastic bags to represent the average amount an American uses in one year. As a part of the campaign, volunteers wear the costume to events to advocate for single-use products, build brand awareness and spark interaction with consumer markets.

A substantial part of being environmentally responsible is product reusability, but sustainability can include much more than just the recycling of single-use products. Sustainable business practices can also incorporate the material, packaging and quality of labor for multiple types of industries.

BMUSE is a “high-fashion vintage brand made for the modern fashionista who considers sustainable style.” This brand advocates for sustainability while influencing the fashion marketplace. By employing a range of content media, BMUSE aims to raise awareness for environmentally conscious business practices.

“Sustainable fashion is the future,” said Brenda Dennison, founder and CEO of BMUSE. “I want to be part of the change-makers who have documented their own sustainable journey so others can be inspired and empowered to also consider changing their mindset and therefore their ways.”

Dennison noted that there is always room for improvement when it comes to sustainability efforts. As more people are starting to incorporate environmentally ethical lifestyle choices, becoming a sustainable brand can be a journey for all businesses to grow with.

“Being knowledgeable is key to the long-term vision of improved sustainability,” Dennison said. “Developments can only occur when there is understanding, implementation and application. BMUSE is continually learning, adapting and pivoting to embrace better sustainable practices.”

Environmental responsibility is a concept that many stakeholders are starting to integrate into corporate culture, promoting the social responsibility that consumers are looking for. Eco-friendly practices, including responsible packaging and supply chain transparency, are being implemented in industries for an ethical brand perception as well as a safer and cleaner environment for the world. As the world is constantly changing, so are the standards for environmental ethics, and brands are utilizing strong PR strategies to open the new chapter of eco-ethics.