With plastic pollution at the forefront of the consumer’s conscience, independent family run men’s tailor, The Savile Row Company, wanted to find out if plastic packaging is influencing purchase decisions.
They conducted a survey of 1,000 British consumers and discovered that 79% are now choosing retailers with recyclable packaging over cheaper competitors, while 96% said the eco-friendliness of a product’s packaging is important to them.
As a reaction to the “plastic problem” and their consumer insight, the Savile Row Company have launched a 100% recyclable packaging solution for mailing out their men’s formal shirts. This consists of 100% recyclable outer packaging, a compostable inner shirt bag as well as recyclable shirt pins.
It was important for the family run business, which has been trading for over 80 years, to explore eco-friendly alternatives to reduce their carbon footprint.
Previously, their shirt packaging was constructed from recycled plastic, but their new compostable bags are made from fully decomposable potato starch, which will not leave behind a trace.
In addition to their outer packaging, shirts often require additional pins and collar inserts to ensure their products maintain shape throughout delivery. Through research and innovation with their designers, Savile Row came up with a unique way to remove the additional plastic for these inserts without ruining their presentation.
This was achieved through carefully cutting seven cardboard pieces to keep the shirts flat and the collars and cuffs stiff and folded neatly.
Jeffrey Doltis, owner and Managing Director of the Savile Row Company said “We invested in fully recyclable and compostable packaging because we care about our impact on the planet.
“We also know that our customers feel strongly about reducing their carbon footprint. It is our aim to eradicate single use plastic across the company, from our offices, to our production warehouses to what our customers receive”.
Savile Row also sought comment from Georgina Wilson-Powell, editor at Pebble Magazine, a leading sustainable lifestyle and green living publication: “I think we can drastically reduce most plastic packaging. It seems incredibly short sighted to use a material that literally lasts forever when we often use the thing for only moments.
“I'm so pleased to see huge number of consumers shift away from plastic and we need to continue holding brands to account.”
For more information:
savilerowco.com