buyer’s forum

Pushing & Pulling for Green

The topic of the environment is hot on everyone’s list these days, from movies to magazines and from the gas station to the shopping center. But what is optical doing about it? This is where buyers come in.
Buyers have an opportunity to check into the green quotient of the companies with which they do business. Then buyers can let their frame vendors know that environmental policies are a genuine consideration in their purchasing plans.
In the clothing portion of the fashion industry, buyers are becoming more aware of just how their suppliers are doing business. A recent article at Fashion-Incubator.com by Kathleen Fasanella points out that companies may be using sustainable product, but their manufacturing methods may result in a glut of product with no place to go at the end of the season. This is known as a “push” model of manufacturing.
A more sustainable, environmentally friendly method of production is “pull” manufacturing, when producers only create that which has been ordered. The result is a tighter process with fewer resources consumed and fewer items adding to the masses of stuff collecting in the warehouses of the world. While you can’t tell your suppliers how to do business, you can make it your business to understand the impact of their production methods on the environment and choose your partners accordingly.

EARTH WATCH

The Good News
The mainstream fashion market may never bite the financial bullet and go completely green, but an increasing number of clothing manufacturers with optical licenses are getting on the bandwagon in some form, including the following:

Levi’s—New Levi’s Eco line

Liz Claiborne—Green power purchasing plan

Kenneth Cole—”Is it hot in here? ad campaign Treehugger.com

50% of the Fortune 100 companies with sustainable business practices said they choose suppliers that can meet sustainability criteria. Greenbiz.com

The Bad News
Going natural adds 30% to costs, and this is passed on to customers. Treehugger.com

36% of Fortune 100 companies that committed to sustainable business practices have actually adopted a formal sustainability strategy for their supply chains. This is a crucial step in being able to deliver on their sustainability promises. Greenbiz.com