Should Soggy Packages Be a Holiday Concern? Resale News and More: Short Takes

Spoiled Goods: With the holiday season in full swing, studies show new concerns for online shoppers that equals even more waste.

According to a national survey released Monday by packaging manufacturer DS Smith, nearly half (or 44 percent) of consumers say they have received a rain-soaked cardboard package and the majority (or 80 percent) say sustainable packaging matters to them. The global survey spanned 1,000 adults in October.

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DS Smith said the soggy packaging problem, for one, is expected to be widespread in the U.S., given that the nation’s top 70 metro areas record rainfall an average of nearly every four days, and the popularity of e-commerce remains high. Half of those polled say they are already getting deliveries weekly or several times a week, and more than half say they expect their online buying to increase going forward.

A strategic partner to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the London, England-headquartered packaging firm said it is responding with innovations like its Greencoat solution — which is a coated, water resistant and fully recyclable corrugated packaging — that has saved more than half a million tons of waste over time.

Resale Moves: Canadian outerwear brand Nobis has launched Next by Nobis, a resale program through which consumers in North America can resell their clothing via an authenticated process.

The company has partnered with Recurate, a leader in resale technology, to grant consumers access to discounted pre-owned products that have been authenticated by Nobis via Certilogo, an authenticity verification service.

“Nobis has long been committed to creating durable, high-quality performance outerwear that will take our consumer from season to season and stand the test of time,” said Nobis cofounder and vice president Robin Yates. “To complement the technical decisions we make, including the use of high-quality materials, craftsmanship and timeless style, it only felt natural for us to take it a step further to extend the lifespan of our products by creating Next by Nobis.”

The way it works is that sellers can post their coats for resale after creating an account and adding images and details on the product’s condition. The pricing is decided based on the condition of the piece and the seller will ship directly to the purchaser.

Next by Nobis allows the seller to decide how they receive payment, with a choice of receiving 100 percent of the sale price as a credit to shop Nobis in-store or online, or 70 percent of the selling price in cash.

Next by Nobis, the latest resale launch in outerwear
Next by Nobis, the latest resale launch in outerwear

Mills Fabrica: In London, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office held their flagship event “Fashion Hong Kong — Sustainable Fashion Promotion in London” Tuesday evening.

An official event partner, tech accelerator The Mills Fabrica convened industry experts and six Hong Kong, China-based fashion designers driving positive change in conscious design. The designers (which include 112 mountainyam, Bettie Haute Couture, SUN=SEN, Angus Tsui, Blind by JW and V Vissi) will showcase selected pieces until Dec. 31 at The Mills Fabrica in London. The spring 2023 collections were created in partnership with Novetex, developer of a waterless solution called “The Billie System” that breaks down and recycles textile waste into yarn fibers.

The Mills Fabrica near King's Cross Station in London where the Nona Platform showroom is located.
The Mills Fabrica near King’s Cross Station in London.

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