Spring Fair launched the Power of One movement to the retail sector at the show today (Sunday 3 Feb) in an effort to promote sustainability across the industry.
Initially launched by London’s largest festival of fashion, Pure London, the campaign has now been extended to Spring Fair’s home and gift audience, and seeks to demonstrate how a combination of small, individual changes can create a more sustainable future for all. Sustainability has been high on the agenda for both the fashion and retail sectors in recent years, and continues to drive consumer behaviour and purchases.
Supporting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Power of One has been created to encourage small yet powerful steps towards a better future by giving others the power to speak up and to focus on long term changes.
At the show, Spring Fair will encourage and empower exhibitors and visitors to commit to one sustainable personal or business change, whether it’s choosing sustainably-sourced producte, avoiding single-use plastics or recycling used materials.
Leading by example, the show will collect and recycle all unwanted and leftover route planners and guides from the show and reward visitors who share their #PowerOfOne pledges on social media throughout the event, with 1,500 awarded with a MyBento BPA-free drinks bottle, donated by exhibitor Summit International. Just one MyBento bottle can prevent 150 single-use plastic bottles from disposal in landfill or by incineration.
Summit International’s Sales Director, Richard Taylor, said he hoped the donation would help to make visitors and other exhibitors think about their own use of single-use plastics. “With Summit International’s ongoing support for the Marine Conservation Society and commitment to bringing sustainable products to market, our values really align with what Power of One is all about,” he added.
Spring Fair MD Julie Driscoll joined Caryn Franklin MBE, fashion and identity commentator and ambassador for Power of One, for a dedicated speaker session on the growing movement and how retailers are embracing the philosophy.
“You might not think making a small change to become more sustainable really impacts your daily life, but when these actions are combined together, they can revolutionise industries,” Driscoll said. “ By bringing the Power of One movement to Spring Fair, we hope to unite like-minded visitors and exhibitors, and empower them to pledge to make essential changes for a more sustainable future.”
She said 92% of millennials were more likely to buy ethically-produced products. “We therefore want to encourage brands to be completely transparent about their sustainability efforts. In the upcoming years, we pledge to help identify and profile exhibitors with ethical and sustainability credentials, and will seek to collaborate with more ambassadors to raise awareness of this essential movement.”
Spring Fair runs at the NEC Birmingham until Thursday (7 February).
