button-primary-on-light
This is some text inside of a div block.

Secondary Section Headline

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Sit aliquam interdum sodales augue varius ultricies arcu condimentum netus. Id imperdiet euismod.

placeholder
Secondary Section Headline
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Sit aliquam interdum sodales augue varius ultricies arcu condimentum netus. Id imperdiet euismod.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Non mauris at at ullamcorper enim mauris massa. Et id arcu placerat facilisis. Aliquam in eget velit faucibus nunc cras aliquam. Tellus nunc viverra imperdiet convallis laoreet lacus placerat mauris et.Cras massa rutrum bibendum pellentesque platea id.
Author-name
Here goes the author-name role
button-primary-on-light

5 Ways Retailers Can Use QR Codes to Decrease their Carbon Footprint

August 11, 2022
Alex Rosenberg


Understanding retail’s impact on the planet

The fashion industry has evolved to support overproduction and overconsumption, with fast fashion becoming king. With consumer trends shifting and a desire for lower prices, brands are creating more for less.

This presents a huge challenge for sustainability efforts worldwide. Fashion accounts for 10% of carbon emissions worldwide, according to the World Bank. If this doesn’t seem like a lot, it’s more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At its current rate, fashion is projected to account for “more than 26% of the global carbon budget associated with a 2ºC pathway by 2050, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation” (UK Parliament). This means that to meet our global carbon goals by 2050, fashion will have to make some major changes.

flowpage for musicians


So, what are the options? The fashion and retail industries currently prioritize fast fashion over sustainability. With a climate crisis underway, brands need to think smarter and harder about sustainable steps they can take to mitigate their impact.

In this piece we outline overviews of what sustainable fashion is, why it’s important, and how brands can update their practices with some quick technological changes.

What is sustainable fashion?

Sustainable fashion is produced and distributed through methods that take their environmental impact into account. This means that the materials used in production (fabric, plastics, metal components, etc.), the shipping practices employed (the packaging materials, the trucks and routes used, the shipping practices, etc.), and the energy and water sources utilized are all aimed at the least possible damage to the earth. Sustainable fashion also aims to optimize its energy consumption, water use, and agricultural practices.

Many brands are already prioritizing eco-friendly operations in major ways. Patagonia is a champion for the environment, with initiatives like their self-imposed Earth tax and their Patagonia Action Works program . 1% of all revenue Patagonia generates is donated to nonprofits helping our air, land, and water. They also outline their ecological footprint on their website, citing 100% renewable energy sources and 94% recycled materials . Another great brand for sustainability is Everlane. As of April 2021, 97% of all polyester and nylon materials were certified recycled, and over half of the cotton used has certified organic. The plastic used in packaging and the water used in production are both recycled. By carefully examining every step of their production and distribution processes, Everlane has created the model for eco-friendly fashion.

Why is sustainable fashion important?

It is crucial for our planet that we can develop sustainable fashion initiatives. This is because of the massive carbon footprint that this industry is responsible for. Unfortunately, we must acknowledge the reality that multi-national garment corporations aren’t going to shift their practices overnight. To combat this reality, we encourage people to adopt small, realistic changes to their everyday operations. We’ve compiled some attainable ways to achieve a greener day-to-day for your brick-and-mortar retail store. Read below to see what steps you can personally take today!

What can we do to achieve a more sustainable retail practice?

Achieving a sustainable business practice is the responsibility of every modern retailer. There are major overhauls to your operations that can be done, but those are costly and take time to orchestrate. We’ve compiled a list of straightforward, time-efficient methods for making your business more green without having to organize logistics for months in advance. Let us know which are your favorites!

1. QR codes on store windows to send shoppers to webpage

Retailers are constantly reprinting and updating their window displays and storefront signs. This is an incredibly easy area of your business to cut down your reliance on paper. While we have all heard about the harmful effects of plastic use for our oceans and our internal organs, we have started to associate paper as being a “greener” choice since it is biodegradable. It is crucial that we change this narrative, as paper consumption worldwide results in 2 million trees being cut down every single day.

QR codes provide an incredible opportunity to decrease our paper usage. Flowcode’s unique codes can be branded to suit your company’s logo perfectly, and they are all dynamic no matter what level plan you have. Dynamic codes are codes where the webpage destination can be updated at any time, as many times as you want. This means all of your seasonal sales, new item drops, and promotional lookbooks can get their time to shine in your window display without ever having to reprint.

sale sale sale

2. Encourage repairs and tailoring in place of new purchases

A great strategy that many retailers are already employing is offering in-house tailoring and repairs. This service increases the lifespan of your merchandise, and it provides an upscale feel to your brand. By repairing the clothes for long term use, you can decrease the amount of clothing that is sent to landfill. Closing the loop on virgin materials is a major step forward in sustainability efforts. Retailers like Athleta, Banana Republic, Uniqlo, and more are already offering this service to their customers.

3. QR codes on shelf talkers and table tents to send people to deals, job openings, and more

Shelf talkers are little stands displayed between stacks of items in your store. They often showcase sales, new items, and other exciting information for customers. Table tents are similar, but they’re often a bigger focal point. These are perfect places to display QR codes and link them to sales, new product drops, job openings in store, employee favorites, and more! This completely removes the need for reprinting and wasting paper. They let you provide your customers with valuable information for almost no cost to you and a much smaller cost to the planet.

4. Donation stations set up in stores for used and unwanted merchandise

H&M already does this, and they redirected 18,800 tons of clothing that would’ve otherwise been sent to landfill in 2020 alone. This is an initiative that any fashion retailer can take part in, regardless of size. Collecting unwanted clothing opens up numerous possibilities for reuse, including donation, sale to consignment or thrift stores, or even sending the goods to their merchandise supplier to be repurposed.

5. QR codes printed directly on garments

Since avoiding the use of paper is a main priority, we recommend that you have a QR code printed directly on your garments in the manufacturing process. This code can be linked to a stockpile of information including information on the brand, size, production process, materials breakdown, wash instructions, and so much more. There is no limit to how much information we can display about a product with Flowcode’s dynamic codes.

sewn in QR tag

Incorporating QR into clothes for a greener future

In the age of high-speed internet and worldwide shipping, there is no reason why we couldn’t all work together to improve the efficiency of our fashion. By utilizing digital services, communicating directly with consumers, and tapping into our existing supply chains, humans can help to set this massive industry on a greener path. Although a comprehensive overhaul may be needed someday; for now, we can all exhale knowing that we are actively trying to improve our carbon footprint.

No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.

Create a free QR code

Ready to generate a QR code in less than 60 seconds?

Free QR Code Image

Articles you might be interested in

QR code scams are skyrocketing — discover how Flowcode is keeping brands safe
Flowcode's advanced geolocation data map enables users to identify the exact location consumers are scanning QR codes. Customers can access precise demographic data...
QR code scams are skyrocketing — discover how Flowcode is keeping brands safe
From pandemic essentials to the new normal: How QR codes rose to prominence
Flowcode's advanced geolocation data map enables users to identify the exact location consumers are scanning QR codes. Customers can access precise demographic data...
From pandemic essentials to the new normal: How QR codes rose to prominence
A Comprehensive Guide to Printing and Activating Your QR Code
Flowcode's advanced geolocation data map enables users to identify the exact location consumers are scanning QR codes. Customers can access precise demographic data...
A Comprehensive Guide to Printing and Activating Your QR Code