One Step at a Time

TeamTogs is a family-run specialist apparel, uniforms and merchandise business established in 2003. It sources and brands (mainly in-house), supplying to a diverse range of clients ranging from corporates, experiential agencies, SMEs, clubs, teams and schools.

It gained the BPMA StepForward Pledge in May 2024, which reflects the proactive steps it is taking on its journey towards sustainability within the business.

Founder Karen Saragoussi explained how it is meeting the StepForward Pledge.

Q What steps have you taken to improve sustainability of the organisation? 

A Here are some highlights:

• Carefully select our suppliers for quality and sustainability certifications and their commitment to ESG.
• Increasingly source and apply branding locally wherever possible.
• Identify and proactively promote product ranges and branding techniques to our clients that have the least environmental impact.
• Provide sustainability credentials to accompany the products and production processes we propose.
• Continually evolve our in-house branding services to onboard new and innovative sustainable solutions, materials and finishes.
• Regularly review and upgrade our machinery to improve energy efficiency.
• Reuse all boxes, and use distribution packaging made from recycled and recyclable materials.
• Contract a private waste management company that enables 97% of our waste to be recycled, and generate energy from all waste and ensure nothing is sent to landfill.
• Prioritise transport partners who have a forward-thinking sustainable policy.
• Provide regular sustainability training and development for our staff.
• We also support our charity partners at a global level – Goods for Good – and locally – Gratitude – by repurposing and passing on unwanted or old branded stock from our clients.

Q What steps would you like to take in the future?

A We plan to continually invest in the most sustainable processes and solutions for our business. We hope to be bold enough, and for it to be commercially viable, to only offer sustainable products and solutions to our clients.

Q What is your biggest challenge around sustainability?

A Our biggest challenge is true clarity and visibility. Many suppliers in the merch and clothing arena quote different sustainable credentials. It would be good to have an internationally agreed set of ‘acceptable’ credentials/certifications that would aid us in our approach to sourcing. We believe this would also help the suppliers, who may be spending time and money achieving credentials which are not understood or perceived to be ‘the right ones’.

Q How have customers/staff/suppliers responded to your efforts?

A We are delighted that our staff have embraced our sustainability mission and vision. Our forward-thinking suppliers are all on board with the drive towards sustainability. Generally, our bigger clients have been very receptive and in many cases are being proactive in requesting sustainable solutions. In some cases, smaller clients, where budget is more restricted, may require lower cost options which aren’t always (yet) the most sustainable.

 

Clone Makes The Difference

Simon Drury, co-founder of Clone Media Technology explains how it is taking account of waste and planning for greater sustainability

At Clone, we empower clients to exceed marketing goals through innovative design, impeccable print procurement, and captivating offline campaigns that seamlessly convert online.

As a business handling fulfilment and global distribution, we generate significant cardboard and paper waste, which we now manage through a certified recycling scheme. By embracing the circular economy, we reuse 90% of product packaging. Recently, we’ve transitioned to environmentally friendly tapes and pallet wraps.

Our sustainability goals include replacing company vehicles with electric ones and installing EV charging points using landlord grants by the end of 2024. Additionally, we’re exploring solar panel installation on our premises next year.

Education is crucial, and we are planning workshops to promote recycled and ethically sourced promotional products to our clients, emphasising the importance of local sourcing.

A key challenge is the higher cost of eco-friendly and ethically sourced items, making them a harder sell to clients.

Being Carbon Neutral Britain certified, ISO 9001 & 27001 accredited, and BPMA certified has generated a positive response, opening new communication channels with clients.