Buff launches sustainability platform ‘Do More Now’

Headwear and neckwear brand Buff has launched sustainability platform ‘Do More Now’ to encourage everyone to “act, protect and care” as part of its plans to create a more conscious business model.

In a statement, Buff says that ‘Do More Now’ is more than an initiative, but a mantra and a philosophy moving forward, to allow the brand to manifest its intention to reduce environmental footprint and create positive impact.

There are three pillars to its ‘Do More Now’ platform - act, protect and care, which the brand will highlight within an online diary, showcasing the brand’s sustainable efforts in areas such as production, conservation and community.

The decision to share regular updates, Buff notes is driven by the belief that sustainability is “a journey that sees every day as a new day to care, protect and act to elevate the world we live in”.

David Camps, chief executive at Buff, said: “At Buff, we believe that actions have the power to shape the world: to create, build, improve, and truly make a difference. Through our ‘Do More Now’ programme, we aim to inspire our people to act, care and protect in a bid to make the world better today and elevate tomorrow sustainably.

“We are committed to growing as a global organisation while respecting the environment, promoting creativity and diversity, and pursuing the well-being of both our employees and society as a whole.”

Headwear and neckwear brand Buff targets a more conscious business model

Buff explains that for more than 30 years it has been committing to creating products in a way that minimises its environmental impact and has been continually innovating and experimenting with cleaner methods of production, renewable energies, and recycled fabric.

For autumn/winter 2021, 90 percent of all Buff’s products are designed and made in Barcelona with recycled or natural fabrics. Such as the original ecostretch multifunctional neckwear made from two recycled plastic bottles, helping to offset the one million plastic bottles purchased every minute around the world. While its Merino line is made up entirely of ethically-reared, cruelty-free merino wools.

The new ‘Do More Now’ sustainable platform also has backing from its shareholders, who have agreed to dedicate funding, reaching 10 percent of its global profits by 2023 to help it target its strategy to minimise its environmental impact, preserve nature, and improve its communities wellbeing.

Buff launches sustainability pledges under “act, protect and care” pillars

Within the ‘Act More’ pillar, Buff is pledging to evolve production with more sustainable materials by focusing on using more natural fibres as well as recycled resources for synthetic fibres. For example, Buff states that 23 million plastic bottles have been recycled for use in products up to 2020 alone.

Buff will also continue to reduce its environmental impact, by focusing on bringing production locally. Currently, the brand manufactures 90 percent of its products at its factory in Barcelona, which has used 100 percent renewable energy since November 2019 and has recently installed more than 1,000 solar panels on the rooftop to help it produce 30 percent of its own energy supply.

Camps added: “We believe that manufacturing our products locally here in Barcelona is not only more sustainable, it also gives us greater flexibility to innovate and serve our customers in a better way.”

Buff is also focused on reducing waste and in 2020-2021 it launched a circular economy project that prioritises the concepts of reuse, reduce and recycling in its production processes. This has been implemented in its packaging, which is currently made out of 80 percent recycled cardboard, and it has also eliminated more than 10 million plastic hooks.

Buff to minimise environmental impact with new sustainability platform

The second pillar to ‘Protect More’ is Buff’s contribution to the preservation of nature as a whole, by supporting projects and associations that protect resources and playgrounds. The brand regularly invites its employees to vote for initiatives at local and international levels which the brand will then financially support. Previous winners have included Protect Our Winters, Captains for Clean Water, and the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA).

In addition, the ‘Do More Now’ programme is encouraging the organisation to calculate its carbon footprint for the first time, an action that has led them to carry out an emissions inventory and process analysis, and which has helped them to obtain even more knowledge about the scope of the company’s impact.

While ‘Care More’ is a programme focusing on improving the wellbeing of its employees to create an inclusive community. Buff has also committed to several steps towards employee wellbeing such as a fair economic compensation system based on qualifications and performance according to the employee’s role, regardless of their gender or other diversity-related factors as part of its equality plan.

It also recently introduced a profit-sharing programme, called ‘Share More,’ that puts all employees on the same level, with a set percentage of profits shared evenly across every contributor so that everyone can benefit from the continued success. Staff also have access to online training platforms to expand their knowledge and can take advantage of flexible hours and remote working.