Visionary Sustainable Campaigns Driving Waste Reduction

Pioneering environmental campaigns are at the forefront of sustainability, designed to curb waste and mitigate the burden on landfills. This compilation features a selection of global initiatives by various brands aimed at minimising waste across different sectors. From campaigns that challenge the fast fashion industry and highlight food waste, to those raising awareness about gift waste, managing discarded furniture, and creatively tackling ocean waste, these efforts showcase diverse approaches to promoting sustainable practices and reducing environmental impact.

VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE

Think First, Buy Second

Vestiaire Collective, a French company with a globally known platform for pre-loved and secondhand items, launched a global campaign titled "Think First, Buy Second." This initiative was introduced following their decision to ban fast fashion brands and products from their platform. Citing issues like overproduction, the poor conditions under which low-cost clothes are manufactured, and the significant environmental impact, the campaign aims to combat fast fashion and reduce waste. Through the hashtag #SayNoToFastFashion, Vestiaire Collective seeks to raise awareness about the throwaway culture prevalent in the fashion industry. They highlight how fast fashion items frequently end up in landfills, contributing to substantial waste, and advocate for the adoption of pre-loved, well-loved items to extend the life of clothing.

(Image credit: Vestiaire Collective - Think First, Buy Second Campaign)

HELLMANN'S SNEAKERS

Make Taste, Not Waste

Hellmann's, widely recognised for its popular mayonnaise and other sauces and condiments, recently launched an unexpected product in Canada: the 1352 Refreshed Sneakers, made from food waste. This launch is part of Hellmann's "Make Taste, Not Waste" campaign, designed to spotlight the issue of food waste with an innovative product. The sneakers were created in collaboration with ID.EIGHT, an eco-sustainable sneaker brand, and are crafted using common food waste materials like apple, corn, and grapes. They are named the 1352 sneakers to symbolise the average $1,352 that Canadians spend on wasted food each year. This very limited edition is only available online through an entry system, and for each entry, Hellmann's donates to a food waste charity. The entire campaign aims to raise awareness about food waste.

(Image credit: Hellmann's 1352 Refreshed Sneakers)

NOT ON THE HIGH STREET

Don't Gift Landfill

Not On The High Street, a UK-based gifting brand that supports small businesses, launched an innovative sustainable campaign during Christmas 2023 called "Don't Gift Landfill." This campaign aimed to increase awareness about the environmental impact of wasteful gifting practices by promoting conscious consumption. Highlighting that over three million gifts were discarded the previous year, the campaign featured striking 3D billboards depicting large landfill sites with the bold message, "Don't Gift Landfill." Other billboards featured the slogan "Don't Gift Boring" and included a QR code that led to a guide on mindful shopping, promoting a healthier environment through thoughtful gifting.

(Image credit: Not On The High Street - Don't Gift Landfill Campaign)

IKEA NORWAY

The Trash Collection Campaign

In 2021, IKEA Norway launched a sustainability campaign called "The Trash Collection," aimed at addressing the issue of furniture waste. The campaign highlighted that approximately 3 million pieces of furniture are discarded each year in Norway. To promote a circular and planet-positive impact, IKEA repurposed unwanted and discarded furniture through this initiative. This campaign featured in a film titled "The Trash Collection," which showcased piles of dumped furniture and documented how they picked up 16 abandoned IKEA pieces. This environment friendly initiative was created to raise awareness about furniture waste and also promoted IKEA's Buy Back and Resell scheme. This scheme allows consumers to return their used IKEA furniture in exchange for IKEA credit, which they receive when someone else buys their secondhand item, taking an important step toward a healthier planet.

(Image credit: IKEA Norway - The Trash Collection)

CHEIL WORLDWIDE

Seanack Project - Ocean Waste Campaign

Cheil Worldwide, an advertising agency in South Korea, launched a creative and fun sustainable campaign in 2022 aimed at reducing coastal waste, called "The Seanack Project." This initiative involved setting up Seanack Trucks at designated beaches. These trucks operated as stalls where beachgoers could "pay" for snacks by collecting discarded trash on the beach. The amount and weight of the collected trash were assessed, and participants could exchange this waste for snacks at these trucks. This campaign was focused to raise awareness about ocean waste, encouraged sustainable practices and highlighted the importance of not littering on beaches, promoting a cleaner and more environmentally responsible community.

(Image credit: Cheil Worldwide - Seanack Project)

Sustainable awareness campaigns serve as a key tool in educating about the harsh realities of wasteful landfill sites worldwide and the sheer volume of existing waste. These efforts show us the urgent need for sustainable practices. By spotlighting the successful strategies employed by various campaigns, brands such as these help to adopt similar approaches towards eco-friendly practices, in order to make a conscious impact on our planet's health and conserving resources for future generations.