While the fashion and retail industries continue to distance themselves from environmentally damaging products, one micro-trend has flourished: organic swing tags. Frequently seen as a detail, these tags are really a crucial component of branding and marketing. In their organic version, they not only promote the green credentials of companies but also form part of a growing sustainability trend in consumerism.
Understanding Organic Swing Tags
They are called swing tags or hangtags because they are attached to products with a string or similar material and when sold they ‘swing’ from the product.A typical hangtag has the brand name and logo and a brief description. More information, such as the price, size and care instructions are printed around the swing tag. Another less common information that can be printed on the hangtag is a QR code directing the client to the item found on the e-commerce website after a few simple steps with their smartphone.
These days hangtags are often made with non-recycled paper or plastic, generating waste for the environment and resulting in energy loss to produce it. On the other hand, an organic swing tag can be made of organic cotton, hemp, organic-recycled paper or even plant-based material like bamboo.
The Environmental Impact
Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It begins with producing the garments and ends with the waste of unsold inventories but also the accessories such as swing tags. Despite their small size, thousands of swing tags are produced each time at brands to accompany their products. Brands need to take action about their carbon clean footprint. Selecting sustainable materials of production and choose organic carpet is the right decision that defends life with simple actions.
Organic cotton, which makes a righteous swing tag, is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilisers which can damage the soil and our water table. Hemp, (also the choice material for many of your favourite swing tags), is a quick growing plant that doesn’t require any watering or pesticides. This type of biodegradable plant is a great choice for your swing tag – it’s definitely more environmentally friendly and the tag will eventually become one with the Earth – a wonderful return to mother nature; you can help do your part. Fake fur isn’t just for your boyfriend’s coat, it’s also the perfect material for your cruelty-free swing tag.
Consumer Demand for Sustainability
These days, consumers care about the impact of their purchases on the environment more than ever. More and more people buy from the brands who prove to align with their values, including the ones who pay attention to sustainable matters. An organic swing tag is a physical proof of a brand’s eco-oriented philosophy that may appeal to an environmentally conscious buyer
Shamed by the arrival of the ‘conscious consumer’, brands are having to think through every component of their products, from their raw materials to their packaging and labelling, and now move towards organic swing tags that are not only a must for consumer expectation but also a basis for differentiation in a crowded market. Storytelling becomes an opportunity when organic swing tags provide brands with the ability to communicate to the consumer their sustainable efforts personally.
Aesthetic and Functional Benefits
Apart from being environmentally superior, organic swing tags can also be aesthetically very satisfying, and functional. They can oftentimes have a unique, tactile quality due to the natural fibres and materials used, which in turn contributes to an overall package that is much more attractive to the eye. I am thinking of a swing tag made from recycled kraft paper that might evoke a down- swing tag made from natural organic cotton that might feel soft to the touch, even sensual.
In addition, organic swing tags themselves can have a visual appeal that fits into a brand’s identity: through embossing, debossing, or printing with vegetable-based inks, they become yet another way in which a particular aesthetic can be imparted. Creating a distinctive and enduring brand impression can be achieved thanks to the permissiveness of the organic medium.
Challenges and Opportunities
Although the use of organic swing tags has grown, challenges remain. First, the materials are usually more expensive than those of their conventional counterparts, which becomes an issue for small brands with lean budgets. Second, sustainable materials are not always easy to source, especially for brands that require large quantities.
But the increasing demand for sustainable products, in turn, offers potential for brands to work together with the industry to innovate and find options. Swing tags made with organic materials can become the norm as more and more brands embrace the idea, creating the possibility of a larger demand that might eventually offer more choice, at lower prices.
Conclusion
If you care about the tree and kind to the environment, then this small but significant step helps organise industries associated with fashion, apparel and retail towards constucting a sustainable future for life on this planet.