Does a Sustainable Product Exist, and if Not, How Should a Brand Communicate About It?

In recent days, we have seen reactions from brands regarding the “Rank a Brand” report, published by Eetti (Pro Ethical Trade Finland), which evaluates the responsibility of the Finnish apparel industry. One Finnish brand emptied its entire store to prove that a fully responsible product simply does not exist.

I ponder the concept of responsibility within the commercial sector every day. What does responsibility truly mean? According to research conducted by our company Infine, marketing communications decision-makers are also questioning the same thing. What measures are enough? What can we communicate without facing backlash? How do we manage all this while staying competitive?

At the same time, consumers are wrestling with their own questions and are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability issues. What is responsible? What information can be trusted? Are brands providing accurate information about their sustainability?

By our mere existence, we consume resources—clothes, food, oxygen, and water. This consumption inevitably results in a variety of emissions. We cannot stop consuming entirely, even if we transition to a perfect circular economy.

We need clothes, for instance, but nowhere near the amount currently produced worldwide. Circular economy materials are still largely in development, and the issues related to traditional materials—such as workers’ labor and human rights and water consumption—do not yet stop the masses from buying cheap clothes from discount bins.

We overconsume, and consumers have not yet begun to reduce their consumption in large numbers, even though our research shows that over half of Finns plan to do so in the future, post-pandemic, to help mitigate climate change.

In this competition, the companies and brands that shine are those that do not throw in the towel but dare to produce durable products through more sustainable means and strive to reach a constantly shifting sustainability target.”

So, does a responsible product exist? Is it even worth trying if a company has not yet internalized sustainability as part of its business?

We cannot bury our heads in the sand waiting for future innovations to solve these problems—we must act now, with the tools and options available to us. By switching materials, production chains, packaging materials, or logistics methods, every brand can improve its sustainability. A perfect product does not exist and may never exist; there will always be trade-offs, just as in life in general. We aim to choose the lesser evil.

When we approach sustainability from the perspective of needs, more alternatives begin to emerge: replacing one product with a more responsibly produced and durable option brings us a step closer. The large ship begins to turn, but without options for consumers, this cannot happen. In this competition, companies and brands that do not throw in the towel but dare to produce durable products through more sustainable methods and strive to reach a moving sustainability target will shine.

A market for responsible products is emerging, where supply advances together with sustainability. A market that will ultimately overwhelm those companies that cannot keep up with developments. This train is already moving. There’s a competitive advantage right there!

The fact is that actions must be taken—and quickly—if we are to achieve the per capita consumption-based carbon footprint target set in Sitra’s international 1.5-degree lifestyles report by 2030. Currently, our calculated figure is over 10,000 kg of carbon dioxide, and within ten years, we should aim to reduce it to about 2.5 tons. This is an ambitious goal, one that requires all of us: courageous companies, smart consumers, and forward-looking public administration.