…Or is it?
To no one’s surprise, sustainable practices have become commonplace across the telecom industry. These days, adding just one recyclable product or lineup to your selection and calling your business “eco-friendly” simply won’t cut it. Sustainability is a complete mindset shift that brands have to choose to embrace day after day.
Over the past few years, Cesium has seen a significant shift among our brands toward greener materials and packaging, an uptick in carbon-neutral practices, and a large focus on waste reduction. As we celebrate Earth Month 2024, Cesium would like to highlight a few key initiatives weaved into the DNA of our partnering brands, with whom we are proud to share not only business but the planet too.
OtterBox: Dropping emissions, not phones
While OtterBox is often synonymous with “Drop Protection”, the brand has also made great strides in sustainability beginning straight at the source; the manufacturing process. Recycling has become a major part of OtterBox’s sustainability journey; in 2013 alone, over 80% of scrap from their distribution centers was recycled, protecting landfills from an astonishing 500,000+ pounds of waste.
Moving onto its products, around 50% of plastics used in many of the most popular cases are manufactured using recycled materials. Repurposing plastic materials has resulted in 30% cut in carbon emissions. In addition, a new lineup of cases, watch straps and wallets made from a plant-based leather alternative is an exciting innovation announced at CES back in January 2024. More on that lineup to come later this year!
Finally, a move toward thinner, fully recyclable packaging has allowed OtterBox not only to reduce emissions at the product transportation level but also to ensure that end-users feel good about disposal of the packaging for the products they love to bring home.
Source: OtterBox Sustainability
PopSockets: The Eternal Positivity Machine
To quote myself in a previous blog post, “this accessory brand’s products may be small but their impact is mighty”. With the addition of PlantCore, PopGrips made from plant-based polymers using castor beans, canola oil and corn starch, and other climate conscious initiatives, PopSockets strives to improve the lives of its users and the planet as well.
PopSockets is proud to boast a product assortment that is 90% carbon neutral certified, with 99% of packaging made from recycled and FSC-certified materials. The company itself is certified Climate Neutral, meaning that they take accountability for their greenhouse gas emissions and take actionable steps every year to reduce their emissions and opt for more sustainable alternatives.
“It really is a state of mind and not just a product effort,” says Kristina Fraprie, PopSockets Senior Business Development Manager
Not only is PopSockets mindful of its output but it is philanthropic to their (Plant)Core as well. The company considerately donates over 300,000 servings of fruits and vegetables and 350,000 of repurposed would-be farm produce waste to communities in need.
Blu Element: New look, same values
2023 was a banner year for BE with a complete brand overhaul, but one thing that did not waver was the brand’s commitment to sustainability. In less than 2 years, Blu Element has hit a few key sustainability milestones, among others:
- Q1 2022 – All local product write-offs now being recycled via a Montreal-based partner
- Q2 2023 – Green commuting: 35% of staff commuting by bicycle 3 out of 4 seasons of the year
- Q3 2023 – 100% plastic-free packaging: Investing significant funds toward a complete redesign of the packaging for all SKUs.
ITSKINS: Think Globally, act locally
If you know ITSKINS, you know that the brand lives and breathes sustainability. ITSKINS believes that small everyday decisions and actions with a focus on environmentally conscious solutions will have the greatest impact. Their upcycled phone cases are built with 100% recycled materials and built to endure, to reduce consumer waste in the long run.
Energy efficient practices are a top priority as well. Several of their products are locally produced with plans to expand to more countries, eliminating the need to ship overseas. What’s more, their factories run primarily on renewable energy and they are constantly looking for new ways to reduce waste at the source.
With a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2028 and numerous certifications and audits in its toolbelt, ITSKINS is certainly on the greenest path there is.
Source: ITSKINS Sustainability Report 2024
The initiatives above only skim the surface; so many more amazing initiatives are at play across the telecom industry. It may not be easy to be green but it will ALWAYS be worth it and Cesium can’t wait to find new ways the industry can work together to care for our planet.
