Tag Archives: Fashion

News

New report reveals fast fashion brands need to align with consumers’ growing demand for ethical change

Leading consumer intelligence platform Talkwalker releases its latest report, Luxury vs Fast Fashion. The new report examines the rise of fast fashion brands, the impact of this rise on the luxury market, and the blurred lines between the two. 

The latest research reveals that the likes of Shein, ASOS, Boohoo, and PrettyLittleThing are now mature disruptor brands, who are maturing at their peak, and are hot on the heels of luxury brands in terms of conversations surrounding fashion.

As sustainability continues to dominate and define the fashion industry, challenger fast fashion brands are shaking things up, by developing products people want at the price and convenience level consumers now demand. 

For both luxury fashion houses and fast fashion brands, sustainability and ethics are hot topics. With Burberry banning the use of exotic leathers, Gucci launching a genderless collection and Louis Vuitton reducing carbon emissions by 2030, it is clear that luxury houses are keeping a close eye to align with new consumer behaviours. Fast fashion brands have a big challenge ahead to align with consumers’ growing demand for ethical change.

Luxury brands are spoken about more by consumers, but not necessarily favoured, with sustainability, customer service and support as key conversation drivers. Fast fashion on the other hand, is surrounded by more operational conversations focusing on convenience and service. Words like ‘easiness’, ‘speed’ and ‘seamless’ are amongst the most used when talking about the online shopping experience, something that luxury brands cannot vent about. 

For the newer challenger fashion brands struggling to break through into mainstream media despite their maturity, social media platforms such as Twitter dominate the conversations. Those driving online conversations are often largely from younger demographics. This is overwhelmingly true for the fast fashion brands where almost 99% of conversations are from the social profiles of millennials or younger.

Jack Richards, Marketing Lead, Northern Europe at Talkwalker says:

‘With the fashion industry contributing a whopping £26bn to UK GDP, fast fashion brands are demonstrably making inroads. The challenge for many luxury brands is to retain their share of the market, whilst not diverting from their authentic self. The rise of these fast fashion brands is a clear example of brands that understand the wants and needs of consumers and are closing the gap with luxury fashion houses.

‘Everything you thought you knew about your consumers, from who they are, to where they hang out, to how they feel about your brand has changed. It’s only those that are getting close to the data and understanding emerging consumer behaviours that really have the inside track.’

To discover more, you can download the Luxury vs Fast Fashion report here. 

Fashion, London News, News, North of England, Retail, Retail & E-commerce

Recycled cashmere brand hosts pop-ups at John Lewis this September

Luxury second-hand fashion brand, Nearly New Cashmere Co is set to host two pop-up stores later this month at high-street retailer John Lewis stores in Greater Manchester and London.

The family-run company was established in 2015 by entrepreneur Ali Orr from her home in the Yorkshire Dales. Since then, it’s become a leading shopping destination for cashmere lovers – who can shop for luxury cashmere knitwear at affordable prices. 

The skilled team at Nearly New Cashmere Co works meticulously to restore, repair and hand-finish cashmere pieces to a like-new standard. They’re also passionate about waste reduction and finding innovative ways to reuse discarded cashmere. This process includes transforming jumpers into neck warmers, fingerless gloves, beanie hats and other accessories.

The sustainable fashion brand has a restore and repair service for customers who wish to extend the life of their existing cashmere pieces and exchange service. The exchange service is for customers that want to exchange their old cashmere items for credit to spend at Nearly New Cashmere Co. The team hopes this will encourage people to wear clothing and accessories for longer and positively impact the environment.

Sharing more about what customers can expect at the pop-ups, founder Ali Orr comments: “At Nearly New Cashmere Co, we specialise in repairing and restoring second-hand and vintage 100% cashmere clothing into like-new quality cashmere pieces. We are passionate about saving discarded garments that would otherwise end up going to waste.

“Over the years, we’ve hosted many pop-up stores and stalls at fairs across the UK, and we’re always excited to run these. They’re an excellent opportunity to meet some of our customers in person. 

“We will have an extensive range of men’s and women’s cashmere clothing and accessories available at the pop-up shops, including cashmere scarves, cashmere jumpers, and cashmere cardigans. 

“We appreciate that second-hand and sustainable shoppers are conscious about the products they’re buying, and rightly so. With that in mind, the pop-ups present a great opportunity to chat with customers about the products, the repair and restoration process, and cashmere care and styling.”

The Nearly New Cashmere Co pop-up stalls will take place later this month at the John Lewis store in Stratford, London, from 20-25 September, and the John Lewis store in Trafford, Manchester, from 26 September-2 October. 

Both of these events coincide with Oxfam’s Second Hand September – a sustainable style challenge to encourage people to buy only second hand items for 30 days in the month of September.

News

Evri Launches Collaboration with Vinted

Evri, the consumer delivery specialist, has entered into a strategic partnership with Vinted, the largest online consumer-to-consumer marketplace in Europe dedicated to second-hand fashion. Evri has been a key delivery partner for the Vinted marketplace since 2018, during which time both organisations have experienced remarkable growth.

As part of the collaboration, a social media influencer programme will highlight the benefits of using Vinted and the convenience of sending parcels via Evri’s ParcelShops, with several well-known content creators across TikTok and Instagram working to create fun and engaging videos. This includes Ana* and Bryon* who have teamed up to complete a “Sell Out Challenge” to see who can sell the most from their wardrobes via Vinted. In addition, over 50 of Evri’s flagship ParcelShops will be co-branded with Vinted.

Claire Phelan, Head of E-commerce Partnerships at Evri, said: “Vinted is a phenomenal success story and we are proud to be one of its delivery partners. This latest collaboration showcases our dedication and scale in supporting both the Vinted marketplace and its members.”

Natacha Blanchard, Consumer PR Lead at Vinted, said “We have seen a real growth in interest in second-hand fashion, particularly over the past few years, with members helping to extend the life cycle of clothes that have already been produced, whilst benefiting from saving money and making some extra cash. This is reflected in our growing member base, which has over 65 million registered members globally, and more than 3 million in the UK.”

E-Commerce, News

New research: Fashion shoppers’ post-purchase selfies are key to cutting the rising volume of online returns

61% of US and UK consumers say seeing visual user-generated content (UGC) from other customers can reduce the growing number of fashion ecommerce returns which is hitting retailers’ profitability and sustainability goals. And around half of consumers now accept that returning online fashion purchases is bad for the environment

NEW YORK and LONDON (July 14, 2022) – 61%[1] of consumers questioned in a new poll think fashion retailers can cut rapidly rising ecommerce product return rates by including more post-purchase photos and videos from other customers—to help shoppers see how clothes look on ‘real’ people, not just models. 59% say virtual try-on tech that allows shoppers to picture themselves in outfits they find online will also help to rein back returns.

The findings come from a survey of just over 2,000 US and UK consumers commissioned by Nosto, the Commerce Experience Platform, which is used by fashion brands such as Patagonia, Paul Smith, Pangaia, and Todd Snyder.

The new research coincides with rising returns volumes reportedly hurting the profitability of online fashion brands such as ASOS and Boohoo. In the US, average ecommerce return rates jumped to 20.8% in 2021 with an estimated $671 billion worth of goods being returned.

Escalating ecommerce returns reduce profits by hiking up retailers’ delivery and warehousing spend (increasing costs by as much as 21% of a product’s order value). And there’s also the problem that returned inventory negatively impacts the environment, with annual carbon dioxide emissions from transporting returned goods in the US estimated to equate to having 3 million more cars on the road.

Fashion retail brands are also increasingly conscious that performing poorly on sustainability and protecting the environment can damage their credibility. Recently, several brands including H&M stopped using a tool that tries to measure the sustainability of garments over concerns about greenwashing.

Importantly, respondents to Nosto’s survey were more than twice as likely to agree that returns are bad for the environment than disagree (49% v 17%[2]) on the basis that returns waste fuel, packaging and other resources.

“Polished, studio imagery has been the default way to show clothes off on ecommerce stores. But supplementing this with customers’ own imagery gives shoppers a more accurate reflection of how products are worn in everyday situations, and by ‘everyday people’ who also own the items,” says Damien Mahoney, Chief Strategy Officer of Nosto.

“That’s why fashion retailers are leveraging customers’ visual UGC on their websites, such as the post-purchase selfies they encourage customers to share on Instagram. The savviest retailers are also encouraging their customers to comment on the likes of products’ fit or share their measurements within captions, so others can make comparisons that better inform purchase decisions and therefore lessen returns.”

Separate research conducted last year by Stackla, the visual UGC platform (now a part of Nosto) indicates that consumers are very happy to let fashion retailers use their post purchase selfies – 58% would give permission to a brand to use images of their fashion purchases as part of their marketing.

Alongside using more UGC, nearly half (49%) of consumers questioned in Nosto’s survey agreed that charging customers for returns—or stopping free returns, as Zara has started doing recently—can stem the flow of products fashion shoppers send back by making them think more carefully about whether they’re going to keep a product before they place an order.

And the research suggests that retailers must continue to pay close attention to some of the more basic tactics to help keep returns down. This includes taking steps to ensure online information is clear, accurate and detailed (66%), orders are not damaged before being sent and that correct items are packed (also 66%).

Read more insights from Nosto’s research on the company blog article. These are the initial findings from a broader survey on consumer attitudes to sustainability in fashion retail which will be released by Nosto later in 2022.

[1] Respondents were asked if they Strongly agree, Somewhat agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Somewhat disagree, Strongly disagree with a list of statements. Almost throughout the press release ‘Strongly agree’ and ‘Somewhat agree’ answers have been added together when referring to results.

[2] Combining 17% of respondents who answered ‘Somewhat disagree’ or ‘Strongly disagree’ to the following: I believe that returning fashion products purchased online is bad for the environment because it uses up fuel, packaging and other resources

News

What enterprise brands can learn from start-ups about agility and personalisation

From clothing and accessories to tech and homeware, you’ve probably purchased an item from a start-up over the past few years – whether it be a digitally native brand, or an individual selling to a global audience from their living room. Thanks to a variety of SaaS solutions and market platforms taking the stress and price away from building a bespoke digital sales platform, start-ups and their success have taken a huge leap forward. In fact, 770,000 new businesses were established in 2020 around the UK, a 30% jump compared to 2019.

The success of start-ups have come from their ability to offer flexible, personalised, and seamless experiences for customers – something that enterprise brands strive for but can fall short on due to their larger, more complex operations. With disposable incomes stretched and consumers being more conscious of their spending than ever before, larger brands need to learn from the agility and mindset of these smaller players to keep customers coming back even with an increasingly competitive retail landscape.

Here are three learnings enterprise brands can take from start-ups to bring back the ‘human touch’ within their own organisations, whilst remaining flexible against future demands.

‘Instagrammable’ packaging

With global eCommerce sales forecast to grow by 50% over the next four years, the pressure is on for big brands to recreate the rush of excitement you get when buying products in-store. This is something start-ups are already 10 steps ahead on.

Unboxing videos, for example, have grown from an internet fad to a powerful eCommerce marketing tool. As a staple of YouTube and TikTok, this unboxing phenomenon makes it plain that people’s first moments with a new online purchase are a heightened experience. A positive customer unboxing experience can help your brand tell its story – the inclusion of inserts, proper product presentation and free samples are just a few ways brands can accomplish this. This is something that start-ups know well and are investing effort into nailing. A plain box with bubble wrap will no longer cut it for customers seeking a personalised experience.

One idea that enterprise brands can adopt is a QR (quick response) code included with an online order delivery – the first hands-on experience with the item and brand the customer will experience. With the recent reliance on QR codes during the pandemic as a “touchless” way to exchange information, anyone with a smartphone knows how to engage with the code when they see it. Balancing boxes that include enough incentivisation without giving the whole story away and encouraging customers to want to discover more is the ideal ratio, with driving customers back to your main website being the primary goal.

First-class customer service

When dealing with a start-up you are often communicating with someone who has ‘skin in the game’ and is invested in the success of the business. They are motivated to give you great customer service and because of the size of their operation, they will likely have all the answers and information at their fingertips to deal with any queries you might have.

Unfortunately, customers have received a more personalised approach through start-ups, and their standards are ever-increasing. Customer care should therefore be at the forefront of building any successful brand. A top priority for larger retailers and brands should be responding to customer feedback, queries and needs. Enterprise brands can ensure they are doing this effectively by making sure they put in place an effective customer service team, look to adopt the latest time-saving technologies including chatbots and SMS services, and make use of automated processes to provide more efficient and personalised care.

Social media management should also be considered, especially in the case of celebrity-owned and celebrity-endorsed brands. Unhappy customers will often go directly to a celebrity’s social media page to make a complaint. To ensure that issues are promptly resolved, brands must effectively track mentions across all platforms, be responsive to complaints and provide the appropriate aftercare to customers. These techniques should act as a seamless extension of the brand and will ensure that a company is catering to an individual’s needs.

The finer details

The third and final area of learning for enterprise brands should be around customisation and personalisation. The agility shown by start-ups means they are well equipped to personalise your product and brand experience to you and your needs. From engraving, embroidery, and monogramming to labelling, embossing and gift bundling, consumers are increasingly looking for these value-added services from brands of all sizes.

Another layer of this is ownership of the packaging process for the consumer. As trends around sustainability continue to grow, given the option, most consumers would rather have simpler, recycled packaging in an effort to be more environmentally conscious, and reduce waste.

In an era where authenticity is of the highest value, placing ‘the human touch’ as the key component of the eCommerce experience, enables brands to adjust to the constant changes in demands from consumers. With a variety of different outsourcing solutions available to retailers, it needn’t be prohibitive, costly or time-consuming to implement. Larger brands have the opportunity to keep up with growing customer expectations that start-ups are meeting and exceeding, whilst taking strides ahead and setting their own.

News

Susan Caplan launches online with Ounass in the UAE

Ounass is pleased to announce the launch of Susan Caplan, a vintage brand conceived due to a love of vintage. By launching Susan Caplan, Ounass is committed to highlighting the importance of sustainability and shedding light on re-usable vintage luxury goods.

Established in 2008 after three decades in the antique sector, Susan Caplan created her eponymous label as a response to her love for vintage jewellery and her desire to make a difference within the contemporary fashion world. The Susan Caplan brand embodies the perfect synergy between luxury and sustainability, furthering the idea that glamour is timeless and that being conscious should not compromise style.

To widen its reach, Susan Caplan has carefully curated a selection of recently unearthed vintage jewellery, all made in the UK, and with the purpose of making her pieces accessible to all jewellery enthusiasts who are passionate about fashion and the planet. Rediscovered by Susan Caplan is the perfect balance between style, consciousness, and accessibility. It is about expressing yourself while taking care of the environment. It is about making their signature timeless aesthetic, available to all.

Susan Caplan says: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ounass enabling customers in the UAE to explore our vintage jewellery collection. We are at the forefront of the industry, which has grown massively in popularity as customers are becoming more socially responsible and environmentally conscious. Pieces of note that Ounass will stock include the rare Christian Dior, Givenchy and Chanel pieces as well as our Rediscovered Collection. They are all in remarkable condition, with many having never been worn. We hope the Ounass customers will enjoy shopping vintage, investing in jewellery and feeling good doing it, knowing their choices are kinder to the planet.”

Based in Dubai, the world’s new capital of fashion, Ounass.ae will provide 2-hour delivery in Dubai and same-day delivery service within the UAE, as well as express delivery to KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain & Qatar. As Ounass.ae takes a step into sustainable luxury, each selection arrives in your preference of eco-friendly or premium packaging. An easy returns procedure can be coordinated by the exceptional Ounass.ae Customer Care team, available 10am-10pm, 7 days a week.

Ounass presents a carefully-curated edit of exclusive capsule collections from local and international designers of the highest caliber, housing the Middle East’s widest range of top- tier designers, with brands ranging between Gucci and Bottega Veneta to Valentino, Prada and more. From fashion and beauty to lifestyle and homeware, Ounass has boasted over 1,500 luxury brands since launching in December 2016 as Al Tayer Group’s first, exclusively digital, luxury e-commerce platform, we provide a 2-hour delivery in Dubai and same-day delivery service within the UAE, as well as an express delivery to KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain & Qatar.

News

Musselburgh Racecourse celebrates evolution of style as they announce new host for Stobo Castle Ladies Day

Scotland’s most stylish date in the calendar is returning this year at Musselburgh Racecourse with a new host, a new date and an exciting new focus on fashion. Part of Musselburgh’s Sensational 7 series, the glamour of Stobo Castle Ladies Day takes place on Friday 5 August 2022.

Award-winning TV and radio presenter and former Miss Scotland, Jennifer Reoch, will host this year’s Stobo Castle Ladies Day which promises to be the best one yet. With a selection of luxury hospitality packages, a new Style competition and first-class entertainment, Ladies Day is sure to be one of the biggest fashion extravaganzas the country has seen in a long while.

This year’s event will celebrate the changing styles of Ladies Day past and present, a theme that will be part of the entertainment throughout the day. Showcasing all the top racing action alongside dazzling fashion competitions – style and elegance will be obligatory.

Jennifer Reoch said: “I’m so excited to be hosting this year’s Stobo Castle Ladies Day. It’s been such an important date in people’s calendar’s for so many years, and I know everyone will be so excited to get dressed up and really celebrate being out this summer. I can’t wait for everyone to experience all the exciting things planned for this amazing sell out event.”

Aisling Johnston, Commercial Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “This year, we are looking forward to welcoming back thousands of spectators to enjoy our stylish Stobo Castle Ladies Day. It’s a great opportunity for people to really go for it and get dressed up after what feels like so long and enjoy a jam-packed day of first class racing, great food and entertainment including our infamous after-party with an exciting celebrity DJ that will be able to announce very soon!

“It’s interesting to think about the evolution of Ladies Day style and, we want this to be a day where we can really celebrate the style and individuality of our racegoers year on year. We are working with some great brands including Harvey Nichols, Sally Ann Provan and Charlie Miller, to spotlight the amazing range of clothes and looks available to buy to ensure people are feeling fabulous on the day.”

The Style Awards will be the new fashion competition for this year and leading Scottish stylist Eva Arrighi will be one of the judging panel. Eva and the other judges- who will be announced in July – will be looking for persons with style, elegance and individuality.

Eva Arrighi Stylist and judge at Stobo Caste Ladies Day said, “Ladies Day is synonymous with getting dressed up, and each year we see a collection of stunning styles and fashions. This year we are looking at the evolution of style at Ladies Day and will welcome the glamour and elegance of the past. Florals are still going to be a hardy perennial at Ladies Day but this year they will be more delicate ditzy affairs. If you’re looking to be bolder – block colours are still a firm favourite on Raceday and the cooler hues of blue and green are having a moment although white, always an elegant option, is a firm favourite this year.”

As well as first class racing and exciting entertainment and music throughout the day, there will also be plenty of fantastic food and drink offerings, as well as an after-race party with a celebrity DJ to keep the party going.

Hospitality packages for Ladies Day are already sold out but there are lots of ticket options still available including the beautifully decorated Picnic Pavilion marquee, located alongside the running rail. With a prime position for viewing the action, the picnic pavilion has its own dedicated bar, betting facilities and private washrooms and are always popular with racegoers.

 

Fashion, News, Workwear

Meet the designer behind the Kara Edit: an exclusive collection of fashion-forward scrubs

Premium scrubs supplier, Kara, introduces its new ‘Kara Edit’ collection. The collection consists of a 10-piece range of scrubs, including tops and trousers for both men and women, available in a selection of colours.

Meet the face behind the new Kara Edit collection, Lead Designer, Alexandra Allen. Having previously worked in the clothing industry, designing items for both UK high street and high-end retailers, Alexandra incorporated a trend-led style into the Kara Edit range, whilst also ensuring the scrubs are fit for purpose.

The design process involved extensive market research and learning more about what customers really want from their scrubs. This helped to inform the collection which developed into what is today – a stylish yet practical range.

Alexandra tailored the designs to meet customers’ needs, one of which was the need for pockets. The Kara Edit features a multi-pocket design approach throughout the range which includes pockets for ID cards, phones, pens, secure zip closures and even scissor pockets – perfect for health and wellness professionals. 

Items feature a water-resistant and durable fabric, which includes motion-stretch construction for comfortable movement. Far from your usual scrubs, the Kara Edit brings a fashion-forward touch to flatter all body types.

The process of designing the new edit hasn’t always been plain sailing, Alexandra explains: “Due to the challenges of developing the range whilst navigating a worldwide pandemic, the project has taken longer than originally anticipated; we started discussing the concept behind the collection over two years ago.”

Despite the difficulties faced, Alexandra believes the extra time allowed the team to spend more time to finetune and develop the collection even further, to create a collection the team are all truly proud of.

Looking towards the future, Alexandra confirms that the team will continue to expand their collections with more styles and shapes that are on-trend whilst also being fit for the workplace.

For more information on Kara Group, visit: https://karagroup.co.uk

Appointments, News

Pimberly accelerates growth plans with board appointment

A leading international retail and e-commerce specialist who has held chief executive roles at Claire’s Accessories and Etam Group has joined the board of technology company Pimberly to help drive its US and European expansion.

Beatrice Lafon, who has vast senior experience with blue-chip companies across Europe and the US, has joined Pimberly as a non-executive director.

Pimberly is also aiming to utilise her expertise to help fuel its growth in the fashion and apparel sector.

During her executive career, Beatrice has held senior roles at Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, River Island, BSkyB, TJ Hughes and B&Q owner Kingfisher, as well as Claire’s Accessories, Dutch fashion group Etam and French omni-channel retailer Pimkie.

Her appointment to Pimberly’s board comes as the Manchester-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) company rolls out ambitious expansion plans following a £6.5m investment boost from existing and new institutional investors and the opening of its first US office in New York.

Martin Balaam, founder and CEO of Pimberly, said: “Beatrice has an enormous amount of retail experience in the UK and the United States and she will be an invaluable asset to the company as we push our expansion in those territories and across the EU.

“Specifically, she brings a wealth of insight into multi-brand, multinational enterprise retailers and brands. She is a welcome addition to our non-executive advisory team as we execute our growth plans and enhance our product offering to the fashion and apparel sector, a key target market for Pimberly.

“She is an inspirational person whose support, strategic advice and knowhow will be of tremendous benefit to the executive team as we pursue our goals.”

Pimberly’s SaaS product information management (PIM) and digital asset management platforms combine with cloud-based technology to help retailers, distributors and manufacturers boost sales by harnessing and enriching increasing volumes of accurate and engaging product data across multiple channels and regions.

Its offering enables clients to forge stronger relationships with their products and create richer shopping experiences for their customers through the use of more relevant data, images, videos and 3D visuals.

Pimberly has seen consistent and rapid development, and its fast-expanding customer base includes high-profile companies such as Ellis Brigham, JD Sports, Monsoon, FGH, Exertis and Card Factory.

So far this year, staff numbers have increased by 40 per cent, from 60 to 84, in line with organic growth, investment in product development and the US office opening.

Martin said: “As online sales increase through marketplaces which open up global trade, the need for complex product data and automation is the primary route to success, and hence the ascendancy of our solutions as necessary e-commerce tech stack platforms.

“We are thrilled to have Beatrice on board as our latest adviser as we take our world-class product to a wider market.”

Beatrice said: “I am delighted at the opportunity to support the international development of Pimberly in the US and across the EU, as well as forging an even stronger presence in retail generally.

“Pimberly offers robust, agile and easy-to-use solutions to enable e-commerce players to develop winning strategies by intelligently managing listings, digital assets and pricing across territories, e-commerce platforms and marketplaces – definitively a must-have tech solution for any ambitious e-commerce business.”

Fashion, Logistics, News

Segura Partner with Phase Eight to Ensure Transparent and Ethical Supply Chain

Phase Eight, the go-to destination for empowering, feminine style that inspires, has partnered with Segura – the leading platform for next-generation supply chain transparency – further strengthening its longstanding commitment and approach to ethical trade. Segura’s solution will enable Phase Eight to modernise and improve the quality of its supply chain management, supporting its aim to embed full transparency throughout all tiers in its supply chain.

As part of the TFG London family, Phase Eight is aligned to the Group sustainability strategy which is based on UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, ETI Base Code and uses the ETI Human Rights Due Diligence Framework to improve the working conditions for the people in its supply chains.

As an established collaborator since 2019, the TFG London Group have partnered with Segura to support the development of the platform, recognising that the first step to enabling a successful ethical trade programme and decent work is transparency.

Segura’s threefold management platform allows Phase Eight to contain all supplier processes within one system that enriches supplier data and tracks updates in real-time, enhances how purchase orders are issued, embedding traceability into the linked trims and labelling requirements, and hosts a compliance suite that enables audits, corrective action plans, policy requirements and communications to be streamlined and automated.

Justin Hampshire, Group Managing Director at TFG Brands (London) Limited says: “As a purpose-led business that aims to put people and the planet first, it is important to us to continue to protect the human rights of those who help make and sell our products and services. We take our responsibilities seriously; when we champion higher standards and practices, we can have a real impact on the lives of millions of people across our value chain.”*

Francesca Mangano, Head of CSR and Sustainability at TFG Brands (London) commented: “We understand it’s the nature of supply chains to be continuously evolving, but it’s crucial to us to ensure we partner with suppliers who share our values. Our aim for 2022 is to focus on continuing to map our supply base beyond our second tier and the Segura platform will allow us to do this.”

Peter Needle, Founder & President at Segura, said: “We were delighted to partner with Phase Eight who share our belief in the importance of building ethical and sustainable businesses. We will continue to support Phase Eight with their evolving corporate sustainability targets.”

*TFG Brands London Limited Modern Slavery Transparency Statement 2020-2021.