What Does Being a Sustainable Brand Mean

A few generations ago, it appeared like humans had unlimited resources.

We assumed that things like gas, oil, and even coal were limitless since the planet was filled with unexplored potential. 

We’re starting to realize how much we were off the mark. Because of our ongoing usage of the planet’s resources, we’ve been left fighting concerns like global warming and carbon emissions. 

The good news is that a new eco-friendly era is dawning and affecting every corner of the globe. One sign is engaging in sustainable brands.

Let’s discuss it!

Sustainable Definition

In its broadest meaning, sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or support a process across time.

Sustainability in business and policy refers to preventing the depletion of natural or physical resources so that they can be used indefinitely. In addition, the term “sustainable” refers to something that can be maintained throughout time or a method that does not hurt the environment.

What Makes a Brand Sustainable

Sustainability, like most things in life, is a spectrum. Items, brands, and merchants can all be considered more or less sustainable, but identifying a totally sustainable brand is challenging.

When determining what makes a brand sustainable, one of the first things to consider is how it handles the environment.

This refers to how goods are manufactured, what materials they’re constructed of, how long they endure, and what happens once you’re done with them.

After determining whether a brand is more environmentally friendly, we must consider how it treats its employees. 

This includes whether the company assures worker safety, pays a living wage, recognizes trade unions, does not tolerate child labor, maintains reasonable working hours, and treats employees with dignity and respect.

These factors must be present at all supply chain stages to establish whether a brand is ethical. 

Avoid Greenwashing

Greenwashing creates a false impression or presents incorrect information about how a company’s products are better for the environment. 

Greenwashing is when a firm makes an unsupported claim to make customers believe its products are ecologically friendly.

Greenwashing firms, for example, can claim that their products are made from recycled materials or have energy-saving properties. 

Although some environmental claims may be somewhat valid, greenwashing corporations frequently exaggerate their claims or advantages to deceive consumers.

Transparency, especially regarding the environmental benefits of our products or services, is the best method to avoid greenwashing in our industry. 

How Do You Show That a Brand Is Sustainable

It’s not always easy to discern whether a company is being truthful or just attempting to hide behind a giant green mask. 

So, here are some indicators that indicate when a brand is truly sustainable.

We concentrate on particular claims. Looking at an organization’s promises about their product—whether on their website, in commercials, or on the product packaging itself—is an excellent place to start.

Review a company’s public relations; in general, what third parties say about the company is more reliable, but it’s also essential checking at what the company says about themselves. Check a company’s website, especially the About Us and Media Room sections.

Sustainable Brand Examples

If you’re new to eco-friendly living, we think you’ll quickly discover that it’s not just better for the environment but also a terrific way to purchase. 

Here’s a list of some good brands to check out.

Toms

Mycoskie started a for-profit company that offered to donate a pair of shoes to a community in need for every pair of shoes sold. TOMS also provides clean drinking water, eye care, safe birth kits, and other services to communities worldwide. 

Patagonia

Patagonia’s uncompromising style and natural focus appeal to its outdoorsy target demographic while also reflecting its commitment to preserving the wilderness, which serves as the brand’s focal point.

Veja

Veja is a stylish and environmentally friendly trainer. They use natural rubber harvested directly from Amazonian trees (rather than petroleum-based rubber), organic cotton, a vegan shoe line, and fair trade certification.

Sustainable Brand Design

Sustainable design aims to improve building performance while reducing negative impacts on the environment and the health and comfort of building occupants. 

The primary sustainability goals are limiting nonrenewable resource consumption, eliminating waste, and creating healthy, productive ecosystems.

The ability to maximize site potential, reduce nonrenewable energy use, utilize environmentally preferred goods, protect and conserve water, improve indoor environmental quality, and optimize operating and maintenance methods are all examples of sustainable design principles.

We specialize in branding at Pastel Valley, and we take a creative approach to branding through in-depth study and mindful impact.  Our brand strategy process and niche specialization are the keys to our success. For example, we help conscious business create their brand identity through a series of questions. Once we understand a business’s mission we build a logo that resembles this in a cohesive way along with branding guidelines.

Why Sustainable Brands Matter

Consumer spending and buying habits have evolved over time. 

For example, millennials, in particular, are becoming more aware of their purchasing habits. 

They are often more cautious with their money than prior generations. However, when they do spend, they favor businesses concerned about social issues, use sustainable production methods, and follow ethical business procedures.

The most important conclusion for brands is that sustainability is about more than just environmental protection. It has three primary components: environmental, economic, and social, which must be considered to achieve true sustainability.

When a brand is recognized for its ideals, it becomes sustainable.  Simultaneously, they accept responsibility for the behaviors they used to engage in or are planning to abandon in the future in favor of better, more sustainable methods. 

A company’s image and consumer support improve when it advocates for more sustainable policies or practices. More than eco-labeling or becoming green lies at the heart of the concept of sustainable branding. It must consider the three critical components of environmental, economic, and social concerns.

As a result, understanding the necessity of sustainable branding is more crucial than ever.

Build Your Sustainable Brand

Like any other type of branding, sustainable branding takes time to adapt because it often requires re-aligning goals and aspirations and altering processes. 

Apart from profit, brands should understand what motivates them. 

In fact, this clarity gives us more energy to identify and innovate. We’re passionate about working with other conscious brands because we know it makes a positive impact on our planet. We also choose to donate a portion of our profits to plant trees around the world to further our positive impact.

If you’re a sustainable brand or an aspiring one we encourage you to define where your business will stand from the start. This is arguably the most important step you can take as a business owner because it will help you stay motivated when you’re faced with business obstacles.