ASI’s Promo for the Planet hub is rapidly approaching its third birthday (Earth Day 2025, if you want to celebrate with us). Since 2022, editors have been dedicated to covering all the ways that sustainability is affecting – and changing for the better – the promotional products industry. This year was no different, with an in-depth explanation of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, a look at how North Carolina has become a hub for innovation and apparel recycling, and updates on how various bans on single-use plastics are affecting promo. Rounding out this year’s top 10 most-read stories is an article with actionable tips for distributors trying to pitch sustainability to reluctant end-buyers.

1

North Carolina Reclaims Its Apparel Heritage – With a Sustainable Twist

Once a global epicenter for clothing production, North Carolina has been transforming its legacy by becoming a hub for apparel recycling and textile innovation. Though globalization has taken a toll on the state, a variety of factors – from proximity to cotton cultivation to a concentration of high-end research and development – converged to turn it into a breeding ground for sustainable apparel startups and other next-generation textile companies. Challenges remain (like the devastating aftereffects of Hurricane Helene) but apparel experts in the promo industry and beyond still sing the praises of the state.

2

‘Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion’: 4 Takeaways From New Documentary

An HBO documentary about the beachy clothing brand Brandy Melville shined a light not only on the discriminatory and exploitative practices of the Italian-based company but also highlighted the environmental problems caused by fast fashion. Wasteful culture was spurred by influencers and social media, according to the documentary, which pointed out that 85% of the 36 billion pieces of clothing purchased in the U.S. and Europe each year is discarded. The documentarians also traveled to Ghana where vast mountains of used clothing ends up – and nearly 40% of it is discarded. “Almost every Ghanian needs to be buying one outfit a week to consume the amount of clothing that’s coming in,” said Sammy Oteng from The Or Foundation.

3

How To Solve Sustainability’s Most Daunting Task: Measuring Scope 3 Emissions

Carbon accounting is growing in importance in promo, as more and more end-buyers demand concrete sustainability metrics before pulling the trigger on a purchase. For most companies, the easiest place to start is by calculating Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the purchase of energy). The real tangle comes when brands set out to measure and reduce their Scope 3 emissions, which includes things like business travel and employee commuting, as well as indirect emissions associated with a product’s entire value chain, from extracting raw materials to disposing items at the end of their useful life. It’s a daunting prospect, but sustainability-focused leaders in promo are rising to meet the challenge, and this article shows how companies can get started.

4

Apparel Company Creates Sustainable Embroidery Innovation

Mark McNaught, founder of apparel company EC Clothing, is hoping to give embroidery a sustainable shake-up. In this piece, he shared details about the process he and his company created, called Photo Realistic Embroidery Technology. The technique involves using one clear thread – made from recycled PET fiber – that’s heated so it expands, allowing the company’s CMYK coloring system “to drip the correct color from our software directly into the fiber,” McNaught says. The system allows EC Clothing to make endless color changes in a design, using only one needle and one continuous fiber.

5

Counselor Sustainability Advocate of the Year 2024: XD Connects

Dutch company XD Connects was honored with Sustainability Advocate of the Year at the 2024 Counselor Awards. Why? Because of the promo supplier’s no-nonsense, data-driven approach to reducing its environmental impact and tracing the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of each of its products. As CEO Albert Van Der Veen noted, “We believe this is the way going forward. We cannot bull**** anymore.” And though XD Connects’ impact-reducing efforts are a differentiator, Van Der Veen hopes that someday they’re the norm in the industry, “and we have to compete on different elements again.”

6

Sustainable Brands 2024: Innovation Through Collaboration

Held in San Diego in October, the Sustainable Brands conference was a meeting of the minds for top leaders working to create the circular economy, tackling the climate crisis, eliminating single-use plastic waste and addressing other pressing sustainability issues in the business world. The event highlighted the importance of cross-industry – and cross-company – collaboration for moving the needle on sustainability and scaling innovative products, like seaweed-derived compostable packaging. Plus, attendees showed off an array of eco-friendly merch, from repurposed cork coasters to reusable drinkware with a giveback component to travel utensils made of bamboo or wheat straw.

7

Artists Take on Fast Fashion in Timely Exhibit

An exhibit at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, PA, was all about the ills of fast fashion. The ReFash show featured the works of a handful of independent designers charged with creating wearable looks from at least 50% discarded materials. And the artists got very creative, incorporating everything from old CDs and electronics to spray-painted bubble wrap in their looks. Show curator Barbara Kavchok’s advice for solving the textile waste crisis was very down-to-earth: “Start thinking of slow fashion and choosing clothing that you know will be a staple piece in your wardrobe.”

8

California Lawmakers Pass Bills To Ban Thick-Film ‘Reusable’ Plastic Bags

California was a pioneer when it comes to single-use plastic bag bans. After the Golden State passed its initial legislation, a wave of similar bans spread across the nation. Ten years in, however, it became apparent that a loophole in California’s original ban muffled the impact the law was supposed to have on reducing waste. So, this year, lawmakers worked to close it, passing bills to ban “thick-film plastic bags.” Andy Keller, founder and CEO of California-based ChicoBag (asi/44811) and a member of the Promo for the Planet editorial advisory board, recalls the plastic bag industry lobbying aggressively for the inclusion of thick-film bags a decade ago. But, he adds, “Thin- or thick-film plastic bags, regardless of if they are marketed as reusable or not, are simply not recycled in any meaningful way.”

9

Florida Bans Balloon Releases Statewide

Balloon releases are a problem for wildlife and the environment – causing litter and potentially blocking digestive systems of animals who mistake the deflated balloons for food. As of June, such releases are officially illegal in Florida. “Florida made the right call in banning intentional balloon releases,” said Hunter Miller, field campaigns manager for Oceana, a nonprofit that combats plastic pollution. “Balloons are one of the deadliest forms of plastic pollution for ocean wildlife.” Balloon suppliers in promo noted that the regulation wouldn’t be a burden for their sales, with many noting that balloon weights, chip clips and other tethering items could actually be an opportunity for distributors to upsell.

10

5 Strategies for Pitching Sustainability to Reluctant End-Buyers

A high percentage of promo end-buyers and retail consumers say they consider environmental impact when making a purchase and that they’re willing to pay more for sustainably produced or sourced goods. Of course, there’s a gap between what people say they want and what they do in practice. Sometimes, buyers need a little extra push to choose the sustainable option. This piece explores five strategies for warming up reluctant end-buyers. One pro tip? Connect with a sustainability champion within an organization and let them argue for your products internally to help level the playing field when you make your pitch.

Promo for the Planet is your destination for the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially-responsible industry.