Sustainability is Always in Style: What Telecom Can Learn from Fashion’s Green Revolution
The world is changing – and in some ways, not for the better.
Everyone knows climate change is the biggest threat we face today, yet our planet is still getting hotter. There’s so much that still needs to be done and major industries need to take action.
The energy industry is of course looking to move to renewable sources like solar, wind and hydrogen; food and drinks companies are more frequently manufacturing their packaging from recycled and recyclable materials; and leading global companies like Amazon, Apple and Google have publicly committed to tackling their carbon footprint.
But one industry that has come right to the forefront of sustainability in recent years is… fashion. As we’ll show you on this page, there are many lessons the telecom industry can learn from the fashion industry when it comes to ensuring a greener future.
Fashion walked so you can run – by examining the way the fashion industry has become more sustainable, it will become clear how you can implement these practices into your operations right now. By investing in renewed or refurbished equipment, you’ll stand as a leader in telecom’s move to sustainability. This will have the combined effect of reducing your long-term costs, improving your public image and helping the environment.
Will your network stand as a leader in telecom’s move to sustainability?
Fashion walked so you can run – by examining the way the fashion industry has become more sustainable, it will become clear how you can implement these practices into your network’s operations right now.
And by doing so, you can reduce your long-term costs, improve your public image and lower your network’s environmental impact too.
Lessons from fashion: how the industry adapted
It’s no secret that the fashion market has long had a problematic relationship with climate change. Reports suggest the industry is responsible for 10% of carbon dioxide emissions and 20% of plastic production globally every year.
Now that’s quite something, and it comes from manufacturing, global distribution and disposal of old clothes. So it’s no surprise the industry has come under fire from the mainstream media and environmental groups for the impact the market is having on our planet.
But more reports hint that it’s not just the media and activists who are pushing for change; more and more consumers want better sustainability measures in fashion too.
What motivates your consumer?
Responsibly-produced clothes have become a significant motivator for people when choosing whether or not to buy from a company, leading to a reputational plummet for many fast-fashion brands. Now, 67% of consumers say they consider sustainability important when they’re choosing which brands to buy clothes from.
Companies seeking to protect the environment and build a positive public image have shifted to using recycled fabrics and integrating other features of circular economy into their practices. By using recycled materials when manufacturing new clothing, carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by up to 80% (as well as fewer chemicals and water being unnecessarily used).
The ethical fashion market is growing faster than the wider industry with a forecasted growth rate of 8.1% to 2027.
At the heart of modern sustainability in fashion is second-hand clothing markets. Vinted in particular, has risen to prominence for the autonomy given to sellers who are allowed to set their own price for clothes they’re trying to move on. It also allows buyers to purchase second-hand (but still high-quality) clothes for a fraction of the price than if they were brand-new.
This model is of course based on companies like eBay (who have partnered with Love Island the last few years to highlight how buying second-hand doesn’t stop you dressing on-trend), with more and more people becoming buyer-sellers in an attempt to help the environment and reduce their costs spent on clothes.
In 2022, eBay recommerce resulted in 73,000 metric tons of waste avoided from landfill and 1.6 million avoided from carbon. And in 2023, 93% of eBay users said that sustainability was a motivator in their use of the platform. In fact, eBay actually encourages sellers to become more sustainable to encourage more purchases from buyers.
The Patagonia effect
Companies and brands who adopt sustainability practices early on reap the rewards further down the line – look no further than Patagonia. Now one of the biggest outdoor clothing brands in the world, Patagonia rose to prominence due to their commitment to using recycled materials in their clothing. With their public image so positive, they can now commit to pledges like ‘1% for the planet’, where 1% of their sales made is donated to preserving and restoring the natural environment.
Besides the immediate benefits of protecting the environment and reducing long-term costs by selling renewed or refurbished clothes, these companies often become known as ‘the green brand.’ They become the place-to-go for both new and returning environmentally-conscious customers looking to do some good through the clothes they buy.
Brand loyalty is a big thing for eco-conscious consumers, allowing these companies to maintain a pool of committed customers. And as more people look to be responsible when buying clothes, the companies with a reputation for sustainability are naturally attracting these new customers, steadily increasing revenues and providing a competitive edge over late coming companies.
Time to follow suit: what telecoms can learn from fashion
Like fashion, the telecom industry is facing increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, from energy consumption to electronic waste.
Regulatory pressures to get greener
Right now, your network can get ahead of future regulations on sustainability, to help your company in the long-run.
The European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive made it mandatory for telecom networks to improve the recording and reporting of emissions that result from their practices.
Moreover, the ‘20% rule’ (where 20% of all equipment networks purchase must have been renewed) seems to be the future of telecoms. No doubt further sustainability measures will be introduced down the road, so get ahead of the curve now by partnering with Shields.
The simple solution
While it’s a challenge (particularly given that the telecom market is becoming more expensive), it also represents opportunity; an opportunity for you to position yourself as one of the first ‘green companies’ in the industry, save long-term costs and to reduce your network’s impact on the environment in one fell swoop.
The secret? Our equipment Marketplace. It’s:
- The world’s largest hub and inventory for renewed telecoms equipment purchasing.
- A central location where your network can enjoy a transparent view of its entire inventory.
- Your network’s most cost-effective source of equipment with lower failure rates than the same kit brand new.
- Where your network can get the data it needs to demonstrate corporate sustainability reporting compliance.
Through our Marketplace, network operators can buy renewed telecoms equipment for a fraction of the price of brand new. Our thorough checks and tests mean nothing makes it onto the Marketplace that isn’t reliable and high-quality.
In fact, our rigorous testing actually results in the equipment on Marketplace having a lower failure rate (0.4%) than new equivalents from the OEM, saving you even more in long-term costs.
Any equipment you buy from Marketplace comes with a 2-year warranty too, so on the off chance something does fail, it won’t cost you to replace it. High performance and lower costs come together to offer your network’s simple solution to meeting sustainability targets.
By adopting the sustainable practice of buying renewed and refurbished equipment right now, you can become known as ‘the green network’ and build that brand loyalty amongst eco-conscious customers that various companies in the fashion industry have already achieved.
Advantages of early adoption for operators: will yours become “the green network?”
- Increased brand loyalty
- Long-term cost savings
- Smaller carbon footprint
- Enduring competitive edge
- Green regulations compliance
The dangers of delaying action
There are several pitfalls your network could be victim to by acting too late. For one, 30% of consumers in 2023 stopped purchasing certain brands due to sustainability concerns.
While these huge multi-national companies are able to deal with a little bit of backlash, for smaller businesses and networks this kind of negative publicity could be fatal. But by partnering with Shields and buying and trading on our Marketplace, you can begin building that positive public image as ‘the green network’ and brand loyalty before it’s too late and another network gets there first.
You’ll also save on long-term costs by purchasing renewed and refurbished equipment for less than new alternatives (which are also more likely to fail). And finally, you can do your bit in the fight against climate change and prepare your company for more sustainability regulations in the future.
As the fashion industry has already shown us, this is a big moment for telecoms. Now’s the time to consider renewed network equipment as a key strategy for creating a more sustainable network, lowering costs and showing the world you care.
Book a demo and let’s start your network’s green transformation.