Reducing retail business waste follows the same principals as reducing waste in your own home. Using the three Rs―reduce, reuse and recycle―you can easily lessen your business’ impact on the environment and lead by example, encouraging other businesses and individuals to follow suit.
Tracey Bailey, founder of Biome Eco Stores, shares her top five tips to reduce retail business waste in our Eco digital magazine on page 28.
In an economy where everyone is looking for the cheapest alternative it doesn’t leave much space for quality, hand crafted items. Nor for skilled artisans and small scale producers and their products that take time to make and are not mass produced.
The amount of competition and the sheer volume of cheap alternatives that have flooded the world’s markets over the last 30 years have gradually drowned out Fair Trade, says Import Ants’ Kim Good.
On page 14 she finds out if Fair Trade fits into today’s fast economy.
In recent years we have seen an increased interest towards sustainability and retailers are conscious of this; many are now focusing on what is in a toy and where it comes from.
Wild Republic has recently launched its latest sustainable product line, Ecokins. First to market, these products offer an alternative for those looking to shop more eco-consciously this Christmas season.
The 100 per cent recyclable plush toy collection is a result of the company’s Promise to the Planet initiative. Read more about the new range and the initiative that inspired the collection on page 20.
Debbie Mills had been looking for a wholesale business to purchase for a while until Quality Products’ initial product offering as well as its wonderful customer base got her attention.
Mills and her husband took it over in 2016 after looking at many within the gift area as well as many more industrial import businesses. Read more about their journey on page 24.
Consumers and retailers are embracing conscious consumerism, buying and offering locally made, sustainable and vegan-friendly products. Recent research suggests people are more mindful of what they are spending their money on and wanting to support local products.
On page 32 we have a look at some of the businesses that have made eco-friendly and ethical products part of their offering.
We feature the latest sustainable, eco-friendly and ethical products on page 40.
