Sustainable E-commerce Innovations

What if one of the biggest barriers to scaling a more circular business model wasn't the sustainable product, but the checkout process itself? For #PlasticFreeJuly, it's the perfect time to highlight how we at Google are helping partners like LUSH solve this exact challenge and make sustainability a core part of their customer experience. Lush's iconic "naked" (packaging-free) products are commendable, but they create a bottleneck at the checkout. How do you scan a bath bomb? The answer: You use AI. I'm proud that our Google Cloud AI, built with Gemini on the Vertex AI platform, is now powering Lush tills. An in-store camera instantly identifies any product, solving a major hurdle that came from their commitment to ditching packaging. The results are about more than just "going plastic free: - Lush has seen: 🟢 Dramatically shorter queues for customers. 🟢 A saving of 440,000 liters of water from fewer in-store demos. 🟢 Faster, more inclusive onboarding for employees. This is what it's all about: using innovation not just for its own sake, but to build a more sustainable and circular future for retail. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gkKEiEDg #Circularity #AIforGood #Sustainability #GoogleCloud #RetailTech #PlasticFreeJuly

The sustainability numbers in fashion for 2024 are... sobering: 1. Only 0.3% of the global textile industry is circular (Circularity Gap Report by Circle Economy) 2. Multiple textile recyclers filed for bankruptcy (Renewcell among them) 3. Nike cut 30% of its sustainability staff 4. Shein's meteoric rise (and IPO) signals fast fashion isn't slowing But here's what gives me hope - innovative companies solving REAL problems in the circular economy: 💫 Need It For Tonight *female founded* Imagine getting clothes from your favorite local retailers delivered in 90 minutes or less... by bike. Not just another quick commerce play - this is about making local retail competitive with fast fashion through eco-friendly, cost-effective delivery networks. Currently crushing it in London, and I'm patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for their US launch. 🌟 By Rotation *female founded* "World's largest shared wardrobe" sounds nice, but here's what it actually means: they've built a community where you can rent, lend, and resell quality fashion pieces. Think: access over ownership, luxury becoming accessible, and fashion that stays in circulation instead of landfills. ⚡️ Movopack E-comm's dirty secret? Packaging waste. Movopack created ONE package that can be reused 20+ times, cutting CO2 footprint by 75%. But the genius part? They made it a loyalty play. Customers get an elevated unboxing experience, brands save on packaging costs, and the planet wins. ✨ Croissant This is the future of conscious shopping: they guarantee resale prices (20-75% of retail) at the point of purchase across 150+ retailers. One-click resale, instant payout, no fees. Finally making it financially smart to invest in quality pieces instead of fast fashion. Their browser extension shows you future resale value while you shop - genius. 🌱 Ambercycle Let's get technical for a second: they've created cycora® - a regenerated polyester that's actually changing how we handle textile waste. Same strength and versatility as virgin polyester, but less than half the CO2 emissions. They're not just recycling - they're making end-of-life textiles into new raw materials that perform like new. I could honestly list 20 more but I'll leave some room in the comments. Please tell me your favorite sustainable fashion brands below! Especially interested in hearing about more female founders tackling circularity 👇 #SustainableFashion #CircularEconomy #FemaleFounders #RetailInnovation

The Intersection of Innovation: On-Demand 3D Printing Meets Micro-Fulfillment Centers As we push the boundaries of supply chain innovation, two technologies stand out for their game-changing potential: on-demand 3D printing and micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs). Individually, they offer agility and efficiency—but together, they create a synergy that redefines modern logistics. Here's how: 1️⃣ Localized, Just-in-Time Production MFCs thrive on proximity—being strategically placed near urban areas to reduce last-mile delivery times. By integrating on-demand 3D printing capabilities into these hubs, businesses can eliminate the need for large inventories. Products can be manufactured as orders come in, ensuring a "produce-what-you-sell" model that cuts waste and costs. 2️⃣ Hyper-Personalization at Scale MFCs excel at rapid order fulfillment, and 3D printing brings the ability to customize products for individual consumers—whether it's a unique design or tailored functionality. Together, they enable businesses to deliver personalized solutions faster than ever before. 3️⃣ Sustainability Through Efficiency Reducing excess inventory and eliminating long shipping routes directly aligns with sustainability goals. 3D printing minimizes material waste during production, while MFCs localize distribution to lower carbon footprints. 4️⃣ Responsive Supply Chains Integrating these technologies creates unmatched flexibility. Businesses can quickly adapt to demand shifts, product variations, or even supply chain disruptions, ensuring resilience in an unpredictable market. Companies like Attabotics are leading the way in revolutionizing MFCs with their innovative automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS). Attabotics’ solutions maximize vertical storage, reducing space requirements by up to 85%, and enabling rapid order fulfillment in under 90 seconds. Their approach is setting new benchmarks for efficiency and sustainability in fulfillment operations. Meanwhile, pioneers like Xometry Shapeways and Sculpteo are advancing on-demand 3D printing, paving the way for localized, agile manufacturing. Together, these technologies offer a glimpse into a future where supply chains are faster, greener, and more consumer-focused. #SupplyChainInnovation #3DPrinting #MicroFulfillment #OnDemandManufacturing

 🤔 𝑪𝑨𝑵 𝑰𝑵𝑵𝑶𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑽𝑬 𝑷𝑨𝑪𝑲𝑨𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑶𝑳𝑼𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑰𝒁𝑬 𝑭𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑰𝑳𝑬 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑷𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑺 𝑾𝑯𝑰𝑳𝑬 𝑺𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑬𝑻? 🚚🌍 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲! Recent studies reveal that smart packaging can reduce breakage by up to 30% 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲. 📊🔬 🔑 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠: ✅ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭: 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐬 items in place, minimizing movement and damage during transit. ✅ Shock-Absorbing Materials: Engineered to absorb vibrations and impacts, ensuring your products stay intact. ✅ Eco-Friendly Construction: Crafted entirely from corrugated board, offering a 100% curbside recyclable solution for greener shipping. 💡 The Science Behind It: Research in logistics and materials engineering shows that a secure fit in packaging not only enhances product safety but also leads to a 20-40% reduction in claims due to damage. Surveys among shippers report increased customer satisfaction when products arrive in pristine condition. 📈💼 🌟 Real-World Impact: This innovative approach is ideal for fragile items—whether electronics, glassware, or specialty goods—providing robust protection and reinforcing a commitment to environmental stewardship. 🚀 What’s your experience with smart, sustainable shipping? Share your insights and let’s discuss how innovation can drive reliability and sustainability in logistics! 💬👇 Credits: 🌟 All write-up is done by me (P.S. Mahesh) after in-depth research. All rights for visuals belong to respective owners. 📚  

Big Climate Moves from Shopify: More Than Just Carbon Offsets When a major e-commerce company makes sustainability a core part of its business strategy—not just a marketing play—it’s worth paying attention. Shopify just announced its Climate Commitments for 2025, and there’s a lot to unpack. 🔹 $250M commitment to carbon removal over the next decade 🔹 Scaling next-gen climate solutions—not just offsetting, but actively building markets for permanent carbon removal 🔹 Going beyond net zero to help drive systemic change What stands out most? They’re not waiting for perfect solutions—they’re helping create them. Shopify is one of the earliest corporate buyers of carbon removal credits, using their purchasing power to build demand and scale up emerging technologies. This kind of corporate action is what we need more of—big players taking real, long-term bets on climate solutions. The corporate sustainability world talks a lot about net zero, carbon offsets, and ESG goals—but who’s actually moving markets in the right direction? Shopify is showing that companies can do more than just reduce their own footprint—they can accelerate the entire climate tech ecosystem. Curious—do you think more companies should be taking this kind of approach? Drop your thoughts below. 👇 📖 Full announcement here: https://buff.ly/3WmPZA7 #ClimateTech #CarbonRemoval #CorporateSustainability #NetZero #Shopify #SustainabilityLeadership