Sustainability for Retail: How Retail Leaders Create Environmental, Social, & Cultural Innovations

Sustainability for Retail is an important international overview of the role of retail in the worldwide climate crisis. Its focus is on apparel and related retail products, from supply chain to the selling floor. The retail industry is identified as the source of 10 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.

This book presents the notable successes that have been achieved in the private sector. Interviews with leaders ranging from multi-nationals to specialty collections, to reports on innovative technological advancements.

Behind each story and report is the strong determination of an individual or the commitment of organizational management to establish and uphold practices that cut the energy use, support providers of raw materials with living wages and lifestyles, and mount campaigns to educate the consumer on supporting products and the overall circular economy. Resale, reuse, and remake comprise an escalating movement that didn’t exist even a decade ago to extend the life cycle of products that previously had a high potential of becoming landfill. It has become big business, sanctioned with promotions across the retail board, from icons of mass merchandising to small local workshops.

Sustainability for Retail offers businesses and consumers insight into beneficial decision-making for themselves and for the greater environment. The authors provide a comprehensive guide to the forces driving the retail sustainability movement.