What do we mean by "Mindful Products"?
“Products that make a difference”
Beyond making sure our products are sourced sustainably, this pillar goes one stage further. How can the items you sell be part of the solution, as opposed to just not being part of the problem? We explore ways in which you can extend your products' life and adopt a professional "reduce, reuse, recycle" mentality.
Topics within this pillar include:
Transparency
Innovation
Reducing Waste
Like every other pillar, we include quick wins and big wins.
The quick wins in this pillar will help you to represent your entire business and brand identity through your products. It's vital that your products play their part in your mission to communicate your efforts to become a more sustainable, ethical and mindful business.
By making some small tweaks to the products you sell, you can have a considerable impact, that grows alongside your sales!
The big wins in this pillar go even further and help you to think outside the box when it comes to making your products a key component of a more mindful enterprise.
While some will require a little more commitment and thought, you'll be rewarded for your efforts.
Quick wins
1. Could you make products from waste?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
The world produces 381 million tonnes in plastic waste yearly – this is set to double by 2034.
We could go on about how this is killing our planet and how ecommerce continues to contribute to this. Or we could flip this around and say - could you create products out of waste that is already here and turn it into a useful product?
CASE STUDY: WATERHAUL
Waterhaul recycle ocean plastic (fishing nets in particular) and turn it into high quality eyewear. They also started “RetaskTheMask” - transforming single-use facemask waste into litter pickers!
2. Could you set up a second-hand resale platform on your website?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
People are probably buying and selling your products second hand on platforms such as eBay and Facebook - but this could take place via your online store instead!
Setting up a second-hand platform on-site allows you to boost your revenue and reduce the amount of items bought new helping you to contribute to the circular economy.
WHO CAN HELP: RECURATE
And, as you'd expect, the technology already exists to help you within this area. Recurate is a Shopify app that makes this super simple and drives brand loyalty too.
CASE STUDY: PATAGONIA
Preloved items don't hold the stigma they once used to - second hand is officially in style, and even big brands are waking up to this fact (and additional revenue source!)
Patagonia, for example, have a great second-hand online store called WornWear.
3. Do you provide clear recycling guidance for your products?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? If you've gone to a lot of effort to make sure your product is recyclable, don't let your efforts be wasted as a result of poor communication with customers!
Make it easy for your customers to know what they should do, so it doesn't needlessly end up in landfill.
WANT TO GET STARTED?
Clearly let people know how to recycle your products (if it is recyclable). You can do this on the packaging itself, on your website, on your social media.
If your products are not yet recyclable, are you working towards making it so? If you are, great! Tell people what you're doing to make change. Even if it's not accepted at kerbside recycling, can you help customers think outside the box?
Example
We love JadeYoga’s list of 25 creative things to do with an old yoga mat.
4. Do you provide customers with information on how to repair your products?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Mending and repairing is a lot more sustainable than chucking and buying new! Prevent items from ending up in landfill by offering repair services.
The modern trend for throwaway or disposable items is relatively recent. Previously, repair shops were a common sight on many high streets. It's nice to see this trend coming back again in the form of online repair education.
CASE STUDY: FJALLRAVEN
Fjallraven have created YouTube videos for simple home repairs - like how to mend a zipper.
BIG WINS
5. Could you offer a take-back service for your products to give them a second life?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? If there are materials in your products that could be repurposed or remade into new things - why not give them a new lease of life?
Take back used products, turn them into new beautiful things and save them from ending up in landfill!
CASE STUDY: RAPANUI Rapanui take back used clothing & recycle into new items of clothing as part of the circular fashion movement.
6. Could you set up a rental service for your products?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Some things we only need for a short amount of time in our lives. Things like children's toys, furniture in rental homes, wedding or prom dresses and maybe even tents! Renting rather than buying means less ends up in landfill. This "sharing economy" model is becoming increasingly popular and is especially well-received by younger Millennials and Generation Z, signifying a worthy future investment.
EXAMPLES:
Some businesses are founded on the very concept of rent and return,
like Rent the Runway (high fashion clothing), Whirli (children's toys) and Tentshare (an online marketplace for tents).
7. Do you offer a repair service?
MINDFUL PRODUCTS: REDUCING WASTE
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Things made to last are more sustainable. Can you your customers extend the life of their items?
In today's throwaway culture, items that are of a high quality can be repaired and viewed as worthy of preserving.
CASE STUDY: BAXLEY GOODS
Baxley Goods are a great example of a small brand offering a care and repair service.
EXAMPLES:
Finisterre and Patagonia offer an in-house repair service for their clothing to be patched up and made good as new. Even the Queen's favourite, Barbour, offer a rewax and repair service, starting from as little as £12.
Resource: Mindful Masterclass #2
Mindful Products are powerful in their own right. Putting conscious, helpful products out into the world that are part of the solution and don’t add to the problem of endless overconsumption, the choices that a brand makes around its product design and collections are clearly incredibly important.
However, the power of mindful products multiples when they’re combined with creative, highly innovative methods of sale - either by turning products into services (i.e. “renting” your product as a service) or by extending their useful lifetime by offering access to replacement parts or a dependable repair service.
Some brands go one better. They combine all of this smart product design and merchandising by doubling down on the relationship that a consumer can develop with both their products and their brand, ensuring an amazing, long lasting, high quality product experience.
One such brand, we believe, is AnotherTomorrow, they put huge care into their product creation and design, but also offer access to them in a creative and thoughtful way. This extends both the lifetime of products, and the ongoing relationship that customers can enjoy with their brand.
To read more about how they are offering this, head here: Mindful Masterclass #2: Products - AnotherTomorrow
Ready to make some real changes and fully embrace Mindful Products?
It's extremely important to take a good, long look at the items you're selling and the models that you sell them within.
By thinking creatively about the ways in which you can extend the life of your products, you stand to not only improve your sustainability but also grow your status as a forward-thinking and progressive ecommerce business and brand.