Let's find us some sustainable products!
Welcome to "nouveau monde", sort of a "nouveau genre" newsletter to better understand how to make the world better through the lens of retail. This is #31 for your beautiful weekend!
Welcome to nouveau monde -- a newsletter from Phil Jeudy and Anthony Puech about sustainability and retail. You can read what this is all about here. If you like what you read, please consider forwarding it to a friend or two. You can also click the button below to subscribe.
The program this week is about a new sustainable products, including a vegetarian frozen meal delivery company. COP26 might happen in Scotland next month, big changes will come most certainly more from what we can buy of what can be built…in a more sustainable way!
Things move fast nowadays, we’re really happy to help you get the right tips on those two matters and be inspired…
Today it will take you 3,5 minutes to read 1,047 words. Easy!
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Do you know those products?
by Phil
The issues of World Retail Congress report series are very interesting reports to read. In this latest issue number 12 you can hear from leading retailers and commentators from around the world on the new challenges now facing retailers - the unforeseen consequences of the pandemic such as the global supply chain crisis, mounting labour shortages, rising inflation and the huge jump in energy costs. You can find innovations selected by the Springwise editorial team for this latest report focus on alternative materials for all parts of the supply chain from both product to packaging, the use of natural, renewable resources such as algae, seaweed and even castor beans to create clothing, shoes and packaging marks a shift to a more sustainable manufacturing set-up where circularity and recycling are designed into the product.
Edible seaweed-based packaging
London-based startup Notpla (formerly Skipping Rocks Lab) has created a range of biodegradable packaging from seaweed and plants. multiple situations. The designs are made to last longer, without requiring much washing.
Lipstick made from algae in refillable, biodegradable packaging
The beauty and personal care market is constantly growing. whilst the industry attempts to be more sustainable, single-use plastics continue to be produced, filling up landfills. with the awareness that the beauty industry is a significant pollutant, San Diego-based sustainable beauty brand Urth has launched a refillable sliding lipstick with sleek, biodegradable packaging.
Bio-based fabric made from castor beans
The Italian, family-owned fabric house, rubelli, has recently announced a new range of eco-friendly fabrics made entirely from natural materials. The fabric is a combination of co-viscose and an eco-polyamide made from castor bean extract.
Outdoor fashion brand uses fabric made from castor beans
The London-based company asmuss is a brand of sustainable female clothing that creates season-less, practical designs to be worn in multiple situations. The designs are made to last longer, without requiring much washing.
Black algae T-shirt cuts emissions
London-based tech clothing startup Vollebak has launched a t-shirt made from eucalyptus trees and black algae. The t-shirt feels and looks just like a conventionally dyed t-shirt without any of the unsustainable practices present in traditional black dyes.
Circular babywear offering a monthly romper subscription
Babies grow incredibly quickly, which means that they go through a lot of clothes. Dutch circular baby-wear brand, Red Orka is on a mission to make baby clothing more sustainable. the brand offers a monthly subscription, for which customers will receive high-quality, clean, and reusable baby rompers. Customers specify the size and can then return the item once the baby has grown out of it.
Eco wool made from recycled plastic bottles
Danish textile company, Texstyle, transforms recycled plastic into a variety of design fabrics, including velvet and wool. With the latest addition of the dolly recycled line, which looks and feels like wool, the company now offers 15 different materials in its textyle recycle collection, which can all be ordered in a range of colors.
“Heureusement, il y a Findus !”
by Anthony
If you're about my age - 46 - and french, then you should know this ad and have the little gimmick in your head right now - sorry about that !
Times are a changing, like Dylan said, and we now care more about the food we eat, but still don't have that many time to cook - or we tend to think that, but it's another problem.
That's when Allplants, a UK-based startup, arrives and proposes its "healthy plant-based meals delvivered" to your home, frozen. The startup, as Techcrunch notices, just raised £38 Millions (that's about $52 Millions or €45 millions) to expand its products. Still for the UK market but they have plans to go global someday.
Indeed, the vegetarian or flexitarian (people who tend to eat less and less meat) is now £10 billion in the UK only and more than £100 billion worldwide.
Allplants proposes well balanced meals with meat substitutes if you need them or just the right amount of proteins brought by tofu or peas for instance.
Eating less meat has a great impact on your carbon footprint and is probably the easiest thing to do. Yes, you should probably cook your meals yourself as the freezing process emits some CO2.
Allplants has a few labels proving its commitments to a better planet :
Tech Zero, dedicated to tech companies willing to pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030
Soil Heroes, who helps farmers get in regenerative agriculture
B Corp that ensure us that Allplants has a global and comprehensive view of its global impact, not only in its environmental side but also how it works with all its stakeholders : customers, workers, local community...
Don't know for you, but this make me want to try these meals, and forget about Findus...
Quick hits
Sustainable Development in Retail: Measuring What Matters, an article by by Hani Weiss is CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Retail, the exclusive franchisee to operate Carrefour in over 31 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Weiss is responsible for developing and growing the company’s Carrefour franchise business and establishing market leadership across all countries it operates in through exceptional customer centricity and a strong omnichannel offering. This includes reimaging the stores of the future and the execution of a digital transformation. Weiss began his career at Majid Al Futtaim – Retail in 2001 and his lengthy experience within the operation, and unparalleled understanding of the food retail business saw him promoted to CEO in September 2017. Today, he leads a business of more than 37,000 colleagues, operates over 375 Carrefour stores across 17 countries in the region and serves more than 750,000 customers a day. Weiss holds an Executive MBA from the London School of Business (Dubai campus) and has completed the Senior Executive Development programme at HEC Paris.
Read the article here.