Tommy Hilfiger to pilot Higg Index Sustainability Profiles for product transparency

Premium retailer Tommy Hilfiger, part of PVH Corp., has announced it will be implementing product information technology Higg Index Sustainability Profiles to its online stores, as a way to strengthen its product transparency.

Sustainable insights platform Higg and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) partnered on the Higg Index earlier this year, producing the profiles as a scorecard system for brands that strive for more transparency with their consumers. The programme’s implementation through Tommy Hilfiger will see items displayed alongside their environmental impact information, with the six-week trial rolled out through European markets across an assortment of Hilfiger products on its official websites.

Currently, 247 Hilfiger products across a range of categories feature data-backed profiles of their environmental impact, covering fabric information, water usage and emission levels. As a pilot, the brand will evaluate the effectiveness of the programme, analysing sales as well as qualitative surveys to determine how helpful the profiles are.

“We are committed to fostering industry relationships that place sustainability at their core in order to create long-lasting change,” explained Esther Verburg, executive vice president, sustainability, business & innovation of Tommy Hilfiger Global, in a statement. “As we continue to look for innovative solutions that make the Tommy Hilfiger business more circular, this programme provides a transparent and consistent way to share sustainability information with our consumers.”

Fast-fashion retailer H&M recently partnered with Higg in May, utilising the profile feature throughout its European and US online stores. Initially conducted for the womenswear and kidswear summer collections, the brand stated at the time that it is looking to carry out the programme fully over the course of 2021 and 2022.

Hilfiger’s decision to implement the technology to its own platform runs alongside the brand’s ongoing Waste Nothing and Welcomes All mission, launched back in 2020. The initiative focuses on the sustainable and ethical development of the company’s production and operations, as well as its community connections.