Three promising sustainability efforts from a green spring
Spring is a time of renewal and growth, as evidenced by some seasonal sustainability efforts from leading retailers.
Whether it’s observing Earth Month or the appearance of new leaves and grass after the desolate barrenness of the winter, spring is seen as the "green" season. In honor of spring’s traditional role as the harbinger of renewal, health and growth, let’s take a look at three retailers that launched impressive sustainability initiatives during the past few months.
Shein
Chinese-founded and Singapore-based global on-demand fashion app Shein is collaborating with functional chemistry and new materials technology company Transfar Chemicals to pursue advances in textile dyeing and finishing technologies.
[READ MORE: Shein partners to develop sustainable textile dyeing and finishing]
This partnership will leverage Shein’s digitalized supply chain platform to monitor demand for premium fabrics and new production technologies. Transfar Chemicals will support the promotion and development of processes, materials, and textile production and dyeing methods that are aimed at reducing water, energy and waste.
Walmart
Walmart is making history with a new line of recycled polyester socks. The discount giant is partnering with sustainable fiber company Infini to launch the first commercial product comprised of Unifi’s Repreve Takeback polyester fabric, which is made with recycled garment fabric as well as other consumer products like water bottles and varied plastics.
The retailer is releasing a sustainable ankle cut, frilly sock made with Repreve Takeback under its Joyspun lingerie and sleepwear brand.
"When you think about clothing, one of the biggest challenges we have today is, 'When you’re done wearing it, where does it go?'" said Scott Bingham, a director in private brand sustainability for Walmart. "We’re creating a more circular system where, instead of landfills, we take textiles we no longer need and turn them back into products we can use."
According to Walmart, early data showed that in its first week, the Joyspun Textile Takeback sock was the second-highest selling style in the Joyspun P6 dress sock assortment.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market stores in the Phoenix area are receiving herbs and vegetables from sustainable robotic produce supplier Opollo Farm, which is a fully automated vertical farming system built by AutoStore and OnePointOne.
In a warehouse outside Phoenix, thousands of herbs and vegetables grow entirely indoors in robot-powered bins and move through a towering, Rubik’s cube-like grid. Robots move crops through a precision-controlled environment, adjusting their position to deliver an ideal balance of water and nutrients while software continuously monitors each plant’s status and adjusts conditions in real time.
Harvest-ready greens are produced in 15 days, about half the time of traditional farming, and grown miles from where they're consumed. When plants are ready to harvest, the robots bring each bin to the "Port," the single entry/exit point for the grid.
