Now more than ever, multinational product companies and manufacturers are realizing the need for real, effective sustainability strategies. While, in many ways, we still very much live in a world of profits over planet, recent consumer trends and market analyses are telling us that a shift toward “green” is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity.

A new year means four more quarters to pitch, market and advertise your sustainable product or brand to eager consumers across the globe. The world is shifting toward environmental consciousness whether you believe it or not, and reaching consumers in this product climate requires more than just a big marketing budget and hollow promises of greater social responsibility. These four pieces of advice are my recommendations to sustainable brand marketers moving into the new year.

Be Transparent About Sustainability Claims

Questionable environmental claims abound in the products market. For example, there are indeed plastics that biodegrade, but many will only break down when processed in an industrial composter. A label touting a plastic product’s biodegradability may be scientifically accurate, but without any further explanation or direction on the package itself, many of these plastics will not biodegrade in any reasonable amount of time in a consumer’s home composting system. Any lack of transparency in this regard is a sure way to catalyze skepticism and criticism. Instead, clarify sustainability claims for consumers in an accessible way — direct them to a web portal with more information, cite any peer-reviewed or third party-supported evidence for your sustainability claims, and perhaps most importantly, admit when and why you are wrong or have missed the mark. Outline the series of events that led to the failure of a sustainability claim or promise, and explain how the company plans to refocus its efforts in a more realistic fashion. Whatever you can do to engage more closely with your consumer base is a great way to bring them back to the brand again and again.

Focus on the Product, Not the “Green”

A product should first be defined by its quality and price competitiveness — any sustainability claims or “green” qualities should be the cherry on top. As I’ve said before, the green gap still very much exists in today’s product environment, and most consumers believe that a product claiming sustainability is going to cost them more at the register. Without a quality product to back up those claims, all you have is a product that makes nice, flowery environmental promises with few customers to actually support it. This is especially true for smaller brands that have to compete with massive, multinational product companies. Without the capital, market share, budget and established consumer base of a huge corporation, your product has to stand on its own. Once that happens, any additional sustainable qualities will help to differentiate the product and give you room to claim your own share of the market.

Educate Consumers about Proper Disposal

Most consumers will not put forth any extra effort to learn how to best dispose of a product or product packaging. Knowing what forms of plastic are widely recyclable, for example, can be particularly confusing thanks to the unintuitive resin identification coding system — potentially recyclable plastics may end up in the trash, and non-recyclable plastics can end up contaminating the recycling stream. The How2Recycle Label decreases confusion and educates consumers on the ground simply and effectively. Through simple graphics and concise labeling, it tells consumers precisely how to dispose of each component of a product or piece of packaging. If a material’s recyclability depends on the region, the label tells consumers to “Check Locally.” If residual product might present a contamination risk, it might say “Empty & Replace Cap.” It’s such a simple system that one has to wonder why it hasn’t been adopted sooner. Luckily, dozens of major brands have already joined the How2Recycle program.

Appeal to Conscious Consumers

Social responsibility means a lot to consumers, more so today than ever before. If they trust a brand and believe in its underlying approach to sustainability, they are more likely to become loyal, returning customers. To start, establish your company or brand as one that cares about more than just a profit margin. Tom’s of Maine, The North Face, Patagonia and Clif Bar are just a few that come to mind. They provide in-depth outlines and overviews of their sustainability initiatives, approach them in a realistic and transparent way, partner with third-party auditors to improve manufacturing efficiencies and supply chain security, and admit where improvements can be made along the way. When you prove you care about more than just what is in consumers’ wallets, they are more prone to listen.

To reduce some of this waste, my company, TerraCycle, has a variety of recycling programs for commonly difficult-to-recycle performance snack packages. Fitness enthusiasts can now recycle their GU Energy Labs product packaging, Clif Bar and LARABAR wrappers, and Bear Naked granola pouches through our free recycling platforms.

TerraCycle, an international recycling company, and The North Face continue to work together to pursue a solution to the common problem of  massive amounts of leftover polyethylene bags that are used to protect merchandise through distribution and transit. The North Face has engaged 25 of its retail stores in TerraCycle's The North Face Polybag Brigade®, to ensure these plastic bags get recycled. Together the two companies have kept 1.5 million plastic polybags, equaling more than 62,000 lbs., of plastic out of U.S. landfills. "We are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and TerraCycle has been an important partner in helping The North Face address the challenging issue of plastic bag recycling," said Adam Mott, Director of Sustainability at The North Face. "This partnership is especially vital in locations where municipal recycling does not accept hard-to-recycle plastics, such as polybags, which would otherwise be disposed of in a landfill without the TerraCycle recycling program." Until this partnership between The North Face and TerraCycle began two years ago, the 25 stores were not able to readily recycle the polyethylene bags. Now, the bags will be recycled into a variety of different products such as plastic lumber, bike racks and pavers. "The volume of polybags that are used every day in shipping to customers and to retail stores is mind-boggling," said TerraCycle founder and CEO Tom Szaky. "The fact that The North Face is committed to going the extra step to keep them out of the waste stream is an action that should be applauded and replicated by more manufacturers and retail stores."

Outdoor apparel manufacturer and retailer, The North Face, announced that it has recycled 1.5 million polyethylene bags, or 62,000 pounds of plastic, in the past two years with the aid of upcyclying and recycling company, TerracCycle. The two companies collaborated to create a program called, “The North Face Polybag Brigade,” which was implemented in 25…

TerraCycle, an international recycling company, and The North Face have been working together to pursue a solution to the common problem of massive amounts of left over polyethylene bags that are used to protect merchandise through distribution and transit. The North Face has engaged 25 of its retail stores in TerraCycle’s The North Face Polybag Brigade to ensure these plastic bags get recycled. Together the two companies have kept 1.5 million plastic polybags, equaling more than 62,000 lbs., of plastic out of U.S. landfills. “We are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and TerraCycle has been an important partner in helping The North Face address the challenging issue of plastic bag recycling,” said Adam Mott, Director of Sustainability at The North Face. “This partnership is especially vital in locations where municipal recycling does not accept hard-to-recycle plastics, such as polybags, which would otherwise be disposed of in a landfill without the TerraCycle recycling program.” Until this partnership between The North Face and TerraCycle began two years ago, the 25 stores were not able to readily recycle the polyethylene bags. Now, the bags will be recycled into a variety of different products such as plastic lumber, bike racks and pavers. “The volume of polybags that are used every day in shipping to customers and to retail stores is mind-boggling,” said TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky. “The fact that The North Face is committed to going the extra step to keep them out of the waste stream is an action that should be applauded and replicated by more manufacturers and retail stores.” Founded in 2001, TerraCycle works with more than 40 major brands in the U.S. and around the world to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills. It repurposes that waste into new, innovative materials and products that are available online and through major retailers. The waste is collected through TerraCycle’s Brigade programs, which are free fundraisers that pay for every piece of waste collected and returned. For information on how to join a TerraCycle Brigade visit　www.terracycle.com.

No one has been more tuned in to climate change than outdoor apparel company The North Face. Many of its customers are climbing those mountains where the snow pack is shrinking or have seen the effect of drought on hiking trails and wildlife habitat. With that in mind, The North Face for the past two years has been asking 25 of its retail stores to participate in a program with TerraCycle where they make sure that those polyethylene bags used to ship clothing are recycled. And they have been pretty successful. Together the two companies have kept 1.5 million plastic polybags, equaling more than 62,000 pounds of plastic, out of U.S. landfills. The bags are being recycled into a variety of different products such as plastic lumber, bike racks and pavers. The North Face has also been trying to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases its operations emit into the air. In a survey, it found that 58 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions come from its distribution centers. With that in mind, it installed a one-megawatt solar panel at its distribution center in Visalia, Calif., which is now supplying 25 percent of the huge distribution center's energy needs while saving 950 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the air every year.

In just over a year and a half, 21 The North Face stores across the country have recycled more than 1 million plastic polybags through a program with upcycling and recycling firm TerraCycle. The Natick store on Worcester Street is one of the stores that has contributed to keeping the 1 million bags or 20 tons out of landfills. Through this program, The North Face, supplier of  innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, and TerraCycle are actively pursuing a solution to a common packaging waste problem in the apparel industry.

In just over a year and a half, 21 The North Face® stores across the country have recycled more than one million plastic polybags through a program with upcycling and recycling pioneer, TerraCycle. The Natick store on Worcester Street is one of the stores that has contributed to keeping the one million bags or 20 tons out of landfills. Through this program, The North Face, the world’s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, and TerraCycle are actively pursuing a solution to a common packaging waste problem in the apparel industry. Until this partnership between The North Face and TerraCycle, the 21 stores were not able to readily recycle the polyethylene bags that protect apparel through distribution and transit. Now, the bags will be recycled into a variety of different products such as plastic lumber, bike racks and pavers.

In just over a year and a half, 21 The North Face® stores across the country have recycled more than one million plastic polybags through a program with upcycling and recycling pioneer, TerraCycle. The Troy store on West Big Beaver Road is one of the stores that has contributed to keeping the one million bags or 20 tons out of landfills. Through this program, The North Face, the world’s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, and TerraCycle are actively pursuing a solution to a common packaging waste problem in the apparel industry.