South Australia became the first state to ban lightweight plastic bags last month. Does this have implications for fashion retailers? Assia Benmedjdoub investigates.
The Van Der Meulen clan has every reason to be smug. When you're in the business of fast fashion, picking up a trend at the start of its cycle merits a 'cat got the cream' kind of expression. In 2002, at a time when talk of a national ban on plastic bags was first building momentum, the owners of High Street chain Supre introduced a range of reusable fabric bags.
Hans and Helen Van Der Meulen were on to something. The bags weren't - and still aren't - manufactured from biodegradable material but they did discourage consumers from making a contribution to landfill. Women were soon seen sporting their Supre bags to the beach, on their way to work or "somewhere to pack their lunch".
"We encourage our customers to reuse them," says business development manager and daughter Nikki Van Der Meulen. "They might cost more than plastic bags but even in terms of branding exposure, they far outweigh the alternatives. We've seen customers walking around with Supre bags that have zippers sewn into them."
The packaging is produced in collaboration with Supre's manufacturing partner in China, with designs ranging from skulls and crossbones for winter to hot pink anchors on a white background for summer.
The Van Der Meuelen's make no claim to the packaging's eco credentials in terms of printing or production, but believe it's a step in the right direction. "It's the way of the future," Nikki says simply. "I don't think it'll be too long before more [retailers] stop using plastic bags."
Discount department store Target is the latest high-profile recruit, with serious eco credentials to boot. Prompted by South Australia's ban on single-use plastic bags last month - more on that later - the retailer has recalled all plastic shopping bags from its 283 Target and Target Country stores across Australia this week.
Customers now have the option of bringing their own bags or purchasing a range of environmentally friendly options in-store. Compostable bags start from 10 cents for a regular size, $1 for a medium reusable red bag or $3 for a fashion reusable bag. All profits from the sale of 'red' bags are donated to charity.
Target managing director Launa Inman says the company has been working to reduce the use of plastic bags over the past four years, including abiding by the National Packaging Covenant, a voluntary government and industry initiative aimed at reducing waste.
However, prior to its decision to cease offering them altogether, 100 million bags were still being issued to customers each year. "Staff members at the checkouts, supported by in-store customer signage and a dedicated education program, will be encouraging customers to make a choice - don't use a bag, bring your own bag or if you need one, we have a range available," says Inman.
"For Target, it wasn't a matter if we stop issuing plastic shopping bags, it was a matter of when and the when for Target is now."
Inman says the national decision was a natural progression for the company, which implemented a similar change in South Australian stores in December. Currently, it is the only state in Australia to place a ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags. But surely this is something only supermarket chains need to consider?
Legally yes, but according to research from RMIT University, the reusable plastic bags used by most fashion retailers can be just as if not more damaging to the environment. A joint study between researchers and lobby group Sustainable Packaging Alliance found these varieties could contribute more to global warming if not reused as often as they could be.
The study assumes reusable bags are durable for use 104 times or once a week for two years - if only used for half that time, it's not worth the resources they consume in their life cycle. This cycle includes raw material sourcing and production, manufacture of the bags and disposal options such as landfill, recycling, compost or litter.
"The implication for retailers is that consumers should be encouraged to reuse existing bags rather than continuously buying new bags," researchers concluded.
According to sales figures at industry supplier New Directions Packaging, gloss laminated paper bags continue to be the most popular variety among fashion retailers. The Sydney-based company services a range of high-end and chain store clients including Sass and Bide, David Lawrence and Zambelli.
Director Mohan Nair says these styles relay branding and marketing messages more effectively and can be reused. "Plastic bags have been on a steady decline over the past five years due to environmental issues however, having said that, many retailers are turning back to plastic in the current economic conditions to cost savings compared to higher-end paper bags," he adds.
Nair was quick to embrace the eco-movement, launching a range of environmentally friendly bags seven years ago. These include brown and white Kraft recyclable bags, non-woven bags and suit covers as well as acid and bleach free tissue and wrapping paper. Womenswear designer Charlie Brown uses non-woven bags for her retail stores, while Sass and Bide opts for a wood-free variety and Oroton order customised Kraft bags.
When Target adopted green alternatives, industry speculation suggested a number of bigger players would also follow suit. Needless to say, when these sustainable branding opportunities abound, so too suppliers.
The 2009 Australasian Retail Expo, to be held from August 11 to 13 at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, now boasts a dedicated 'Green' section with packaging suppliers flocking to spout their eco credentials. This year Melbourne-based promotional products company Chilli Green has taken up the role of poster child and will promote its Ultimate Biodegradable Plastic Bag.
The bag reportedly disintegrates within 90 days of being placed in compost and changes into carbon dioxide, water and biomass within six months as opposed to 1000 years for traditional plastic bags. It is produced from a material containing corn starch and certified 100 per cent carbon neutral. Large singlet bags start at $350 for 1000 while smaller varieties start at $250 for 1000. Customised bags are subject to higher charges.
Clean Up Australia chairman Ian Kiernan, who has worked with retailers and businesses in promoting eco-friendly initiatives, says costings will prove worthwhile in the long run. According to Kiernan, most fashion retailers use linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags, which are thicker than single-use plastic bags.
"This reliance on plastic packaging and bags is a learned behaviour that could change for the good of the environment and retailers' hip pockets," he says, urging businesses to ban all plastic solutions. "As Target has show, stop using plastic bags and people will adapt. Other ideas include selling your own alternative bags such as recycled paper, calico and polypropylene 'green' bags. A retailer could also consider teaming up with other retailers to purchase them in bulk and save money."
In the meantime, there is no legal imperative for retailers outside of South Australia to shun the use of single-use plastic bags. Although the Rudd Government pledged a national ban on these heading into the last federal election - with a plan to phase out their use by the start of this year - discussions between state and federal environment ministers had yet again fizzled at the time of press.