As the largest generational cohort, Gen Z’s focus on the environment translates to their purchase decisions and this can be seen in the growing number of retail businesses pursuing B Corp certification.
B Corp certification is a quantitative means for retailers to communicate their values to consumers and signify their commitment to sustainability. Today, an estimated 6300 and growing businesses that have met the high standards of social and environmental responsibility and transparency required to gain the certification.
Just last week, Australian heritage brand RM Williams gained its B Corp certification and celebrated with the release of its inaugural sustainability playbook.
On the flip side, Canada’s Competition Bureau has accused Lululemon of greenwashing regarding claims made in its ‘Be Planet’ campaign and the athleisure brand could face a penalty of 3 per cent of the company’s gross global profits for each year it ran the ads, according to law firm Kelley Drye & Warren.
This shows that complacency has the potential to be costly for consumers and retailers.
Just in case
While the global electronics accessories company Casetify has yet to obtain B Corp certification, the business is solidifying its high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
The brand’s phone cases now consist of at least 65 per cent recycled materials and Raje Hiranand, Casetify’s senior marketing manager, told Inside Retail, “Our achievement of incorporating recycled materials into every product category by the end of last year marks a huge step toward our vision of a sustainable future.”
Through its global recycling initiatives, Casetify has diverted over 84,000kg of plastic from landfills by repurposing and upcycling it into new cases.
“We’ve developed eco-friendly phone cases using recycled and plant-based materials, and all our packaging is 100 per cent recyclable,” Hiranand said. “Plus, we invite customers to bring their old phone cases to our stores, where we’ll transform them into new accessories through upcycling,” he added.
Re/Casetify, the brand’s upcycling program, has recycled over 430,000 phone cases into raw material pellets that the brand repurposes into its products.
In its Earth Day campaign ‘Journey to Re/Birth’ this year, Casetify showcased awe-inspiring public artworks made of upcycled phone cases from artists big and small in major cities across the globe from New York to Sydney.
All artworks were made from discarded phone cases collected by the brand’s Re/Casetify upcycling program. Public events were held at the sights to engage with local communities designed to spark conversations about sustainability through the art.
“Adopting the principles of circularity entails crafting products with durability, reusability, and recyclability in mind,” Hiranand said.
“Our Re/Casetify technology exemplifies this approach, as it utilises a blend of used phone cases, bioplastics, and manufacturing plastic scraps into functional phone cases,” he added.
“By upcycling materials, we breathe new life into discarded cases while enhancing the longevity and protection of phones,” Hiranand said.
Sustainability a case for customers
Gen Z makes up 25 per cent of the world’s population and this demographic is estimated to have a US$12 trillion spending power by 2030, NIQ and World Data Lab’s ‘Spend Z’ report suggests.
Casetify’s commitment to recycling has built customer loyalty and attracted a significant number of eco-conscious consumers who align their purchases with sustainability.
“These savvy customers recognise our recycling program isn’t just a one-time event but a year-round dedication that we consistently emphasise. This approach has proven to be highly beneficial from the outset,” Hiranand said.
“We print our cases to order in-store, this practice reduces costs and prevents us from accumulating excess inventory,” he added.
Implementing this approach aligns with Casetify’s sustainability goals and ensures the brand’s operational efficiency, “demonstrating our commitment to responsible business practices,” Hiranand said.
In 2022, after four years of research and development, Casetify launched a new type of plant-based material with military-grade protection – dubbed EcoShock. This innovation offers up to a 20 per cent increase in drop protection by absorbing 95 per cent of the kinetic energy of an impact into heat.
With the majority of Generation Z dropping their phones three to four times a week, according to research commissioned by Casetify, this kind of product innovation not only has the potential to extend the life of hard-to-recylce products like smartphones, but also save consumers’ money.
Amidst the cost-of-living crisis, rising inflation, and stagnant growth in consumer discretionary spending – saving shoppers money on phone repairs leaves more of their financial resources to spend on the discretionary products that retailers like Casetify sell.
Pellets to pods
Nespresso is another example of a retailer that encourages customers to recycle their old products to be turned into new materials. Its coffee pods are constructed from aluminium for several operational reasons, such as guaranteeing the freshness of the artisan blends and being infinitely recyclable.
The business achieved B Corp certification in 2022 and works with over 140,000 farmers in 18 countries to champion sustainability through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program.
The brand’s coffee capsule recycling program is another example of how retail brands are creating second-life products on a mission to become more circular.
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