How Responsible Businesses Should Think About Merchandising

Julie Starr • July 16, 2021



Merchandising is a popular tool for many businesses to use, and for quite clear reasons. Not only can it potentially provide an extra revenue stream, but it may help you spread branding with products that speak to the value of your brand. For instance, bringing merchandise to a convention you’re attending can, in effect, help you spread your marketed brand presence around the entire event, especially if you give away certain items for free.

Yet it’s also true that merchandised products should be considered from a sustainability perspective in order to responsibly and ethically design such merchandise. Handcrafted items can be helpful from time to time, especially if you’re a small firm where professional printing or transfer paper can be useful, but how should you think about these problems at scale?

In this post, we hope to explore this topic and see if we can lessen our impact on the production cycle while also chasing possible sustainability efforts . This is a great way to redefine and represent the spirit and values of your brand – everything that merchandise should represent.

Let’s get started:

High-Quality Printing Companies

High-quality printing companies can provide you with a great means of making sure your branded approach works well, and that each piece of merch is undeniably and proudly yours. In some cases, this might include embroidery, such as at the top of baseball caps. The higher quality you can print, the better the merchandise itself will be, and that itself will ensure the item is used for a much longer amount of time.

Never Create Disposable Goods

It’s important to never create disposable goods that can be thrown away easily or thrown into landfills within a matter of days. For instance, instead of having five thousand small pens made for your attendance at a convention, perhaps you could make two hundred tote bags that give the guests a higher-quality item they may even begin to use in their personal life. This has the added benefit of being the container in which other merchandised options given by other brands will be placed, allowing you to supersede the branding therein. It’s not hard to see just how worthwhile that can be, as this speaks to the confidence and sustainable values of your brand. Always source proper sustainable suppliers and practices to support.

Change For Good

It can be healthy to match every sale of a merchandised item with a goodwill gesture. If someone purchases a piece of branded merchandise from your store, for example, you might decide to donate towards planting a tree in a foreign country. This not only encourages sales thanks to the ‘conscious factor’ you provide with every purchase, but it can help limit the impact of creating a humble merch library in the first place. With a cause you stand behind, this could be a fruitful and effective positive step.

With this advice, we hope you, as a responsible business, can make the most of merchandising.

Why Telling Your Sustainability Story Matters — And How Taiga Company Can Help

By Julie Starr • December 17, 2024
In today’s world, sustainability is no longer a buzzword—it’s a business imperative. Consumers, investors, and stakeholders are demanding more transparency and accountability from brands. They don’t just want to know what you sell; they want to know who you are, what you stand for, and how your work contributes to a better world. That’s where your sustainability story comes in. Sharing your achievements in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives isn’t just about meeting expectations—it’s about building trust, fostering loyalty, and inspiring action. At Taiga Company, we specialize in helping organizations authentically communicate their sustainability achievements in ways that drive measurable impact and align with their goals. Why Sharing Your Sustainability Achievements Is Good for Business Build Trust with Stakeholders Sustainability storytelling builds credibility and trust. Whether you’re addressing investors, employees, or customers, sharing your sustainability milestones demonstrates your commitment to accountability and long-term value creation. For example: Highlight your efforts in achieving science-based targets, reducing carbon emissions, or adopting circular economy practices. These stories resonate with audiences looking for businesses that align with their values. Differentiate Your Brand In a competitive marketplace, sustainability can set you apart. Brands that communicate their achievements in regenerative agriculture, water stewardship, or biodiversity conservation position themselves as industry leaders and innovators. Think of it this way: A well-told sustainability story is not just a report—it’s a statement of leadership, authenticity, and purpose. Drive Stakeholder Engagement Sustainability stories invite dialogue. By showcasing meaningful milestones, like successful recycling initiatives or community reforestation projects, you foster stronger relationships with stakeholders who want to be part of your mission. Engagement isn’t just about storytelling; it’s about inspiring action. Whether through social media campaigns, press releases, or executive thought leadership, your achievements can encourage others to collaborate and support your goals. Attract Purpose-Driven Talent and Customers Today’s workforce and consumers seek brands with purpose. Communicating your impact helps attract talent and customers who align with your mission. A transparent, well-executed sustainability strategy speaks volumes about your leadership and values. At Taiga Company, we specialize in results-driven communications that empower purpose-led brands to share their sustainability achievements with confidence and clarity. Our services ensure your story resonates with the audiences that matter most. Your sustainability achievements deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Whether it’s reducing carbon emissions, innovating in sustainable packaging, or leading water stewardship initiatives, telling your story is an opportunity to inspire trust, drive action, and shape a better future.

Why Going Green Is No Longer Optional for Industry Leaders

By Julie Starr • December 16, 2024
Alright, so here’s the deal, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword anymore. Sure, at this most most industries, yes, even the most unsustainable industries have this general idea, right? Well, you’re always going to find some businesses in some niches (and yes, industries too) who think that it doesn’t apply to them. But no, it applies to all niches and all industries, and yes, it’s a business requirement. Now, across every industry, the companies that are embracing green practices are the ones that are thriving. Why? Well, because customers, investors, and employees are all paying attention. If a business isn’t making an effort to be sustainable, it’s not just falling behind, it’s losing out. Overall, sustainability isn’t just about saving the planet; it’s about saving your business. Yes, this needs to be hammered in, so industry leaders, here’s why you’re just not excused. Green Practices Mean Growth Yep, it’s that plain and simple, So, sustainability isn’t just about doing the right thing, it’s about doing the smart thing. Businesses that prioritize green practices are cutting costs, staying competitive, and building trust with their audiences. So, reducing waste, switching to renewable energy, and sourcing materials ethically aren’t just good for the planet, they’re great for the bottom line. Simple enough, right? Well, take packaging, for example. Cutting down on unnecessary plastics doesn’t just make customers happy; it slashes production and disposal costs. So, switching to energy-efficient operations isn’t just environmentally friendly, rather, it saves a fortune on utilities. There don’t need to be roadblocks seen, rather they should be opportunities! There’s Plenty to Gain Okay, so sustainability isn’t just for industries with obvious environmental impact, it’s critical in healthcare too. Again, no excuses here. Hospitals and clinics use massive amounts of energy, and the waste from single-use supplies piles up fast. The same can be said for labs, and pharmacies too. Actually, go ahead and take specialty drugs as an example. Now, most people know that these life-changing treatments are for serious conditions, but they often come with sky-high costs. But why? Well, the production and distribution processes can be incredibly resource-heavy. But even sustainable practices can help lower prices, such as energy-efficient manufacturing or even cutting down on excess packaging. It might be hard to see, but little changes can make massive impacts on costs (and what’s being spent on both ends). Tech Easily Shows How Sustainability Drives Innovation The tech industry has been leading the charge when it comes to sustainability, and the results speak for themselves. Actually, companies like Google and Apple are proving that being green isn’t just possible, but this can actually be pretty profitable! If tech companies can do this, then yeah, all industries are capable. So above, medicine was mentioned, but data centers are also a great example ( since they use a lot of energy). Well, nowadays, most companies are now powering these centers with renewable energy, cutting costs and emissions at the same time. No Industry Gets a Free Pass It doesn’t matter if it’s healthcare, tech, retail, or manufacturing, basically, every industry has something to gain by going green. There are small examples like retailers ditching plastic bags for reusable ones. Then there are bigger examples like factories rethinking supply chains to cut emissions and save costs. But the reality is that businesses sticking to wasteful, outdated practices are falling behind. Besides, governments are rolling out stricter regulations.
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