BLE spotlights sustainability with Products of Change
Brand Licensing Europe is partnering with Products of Change to spotlight sustainability in a new activation at this year’s event, which takes place in-person at ExCeL London from 17 to 19 November, followed by an online event on 30 November to 1December. Attendees can register for free now at https://www.brandlicensing.eu/en/home.html.
The 220sqm BLE Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change will be front and centre on the show floor and feature six unique zones to inspire the industry towards a more sustainable future. The zones will highlight the inroads brands, retailers and manufacturers are already making in fashion, product, material and retail innovation, as well as the impact this can have on the global licensing industry, consumers, and beyond.
- Fashion Innovation
- Sustainable fashion company and apparel licensee Teemill will showcase its circular innovation, ‘bringing to life’ the process of ‘shredding’ material to re-use. The award-winning manufacturer is a fantastic example of a business committed to making the circular economy a reality. Teemill’s shredder turns pre-loved clothing into yarn, which can be reused to create recycled clothing, ready to find a new owner.
- Brand Fashion Swap: To highlight the increasing popularity of fashion rental/clothes swapping, BLE organisers are asking visitors to bring an old item of branded clothing to the event, donate to industry charity The Light Fund, and swap it for another piece of apparel.
- Material Innovation
The Material Innovation area will illustrate the processes behind recycling materials such as plastic into new products, stone into handbags and hay into lamps. The area will also showcase the latest technology platform for material impact scoring from Brand Conscience.
- Retail Innovation
Learn about Asda’s George for Good strategic approach to sustainable production, including its core sustainability pillars, licensed product ranges and 100% sustainably sourced school uniform ranges along with their new 3D technology to heavily reduce waste in production.
- Product Innovation
Visit the sustainable licensed products showcase featuring brand owners and licensees from across the brand licensing industry, including Hasbro, Mattel, Lego, Keeleco, Character World, Dreamtex, Discovery, and Tesco. The deadline to contact BLE about participating in the showcase is end of September – please email ella.haynes@informa.com for more information.
- Brands for Social Change
This area will highlight how brands are working together to drive social change and will include a stunning room set from The Eden Project: Cornwall’s hugely successful eco visitor attraction, through to inspiring products from The Natural History Museum and BBC Studios.
- Products of Change 121 Clinics
Visitors to BLE are invited to drop in for a free 121 clinic with the experts at Products of Change, including founder Helena Mansell-Stopher and a plethora of the POC Ambassadors, who will provide valuable advice and guidance for every stage of the sustainability journey.
The Activation will also host a Health & Wellbeing lounge for attendees to take a welcome mental break away from the show floor in this relaxing haven.
On the outside walls of the activation, BLE attendees can read up on the United Nation’s 17 life-changing Sustainable Development Goals. The graphics will be supported by stats on why being sustainable makes sense for individuals, organisations and the planet provided by Kids Industries and information about Informa Market’s own initiatives to be more sustainable.
“Brand owners, retailers and manufacturers have all been making purposeful and practical commitments to improving the sustainability of their products, businesses and the sector as whole through a range of initiatives focused on putting the planet before profit and we can’t wait to showcase these at BLE in November to inspire others on their sustainability journeys,” commented Anna Knight, VP of Licensing, Informa Markets.
Helena Mansell-Stopher, Founder & CEO of Products of Change added: “With both Covid and Brexit hitting business hard this year, it has been extremely encouraging to see the industry still focusing on transitioning to a more sustainable production model, as well as incorporating a large proportion of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals within their sustainability framework. I cannot think of a better place to celebrate the industry’s achievements than being able to physically show them at BLE this year. It is a real honour to be working with the progressive team at Informa to bring this activation to life, and I’m really looking forward to inspiring more business to come on the sustainable journey with us”.
