|
It’s all in the label: innovation and transparency
Timberland consumers will soon see “nutritional labels” on its footwear packages. Instead of calories, carbs and saturated fats, the label will have three sections: manufactured, environmental impact and community impact. This label is the first of its kind in the retail industry and part of Timberland’s commitment to innovation and transparency.
 The manufactured section of the label will identify the name and location of the factory; the environmental impact section will report how much energy is needed to produce the product and how much of Timberland's energy is generated from renewable resources such as the sun, wind or water. The community impact section will details what percentage of factories are assessed by the company against code of conduct standards, the percentage of the workforce that are children and the total number of hours volunteered in the community by Timberland employees.
This footwear packaging initiative will also extend Timberland’s commitment to the environment by additional features:
- Footwear boxes made of 100 percent recycled post-consumer waste fiber.
- Footwear boxes using no chemical glues and only soy-based inks to print labels.
- Messaging inside the box that asks consumers “what kind of footprint will you leave” and provides a call to action for them after purchase.
Listing the name of the factory and its location on the label is an extension of a company practice of providing a list of factories – including name, address, business unit, and description of what type of work is performed at each location – in the company’s corporate social responsibility report.
“As a company, Timberland wants to make it better and the new packaging will do just that," said Jeffrey Swartz, Timberland's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our goal is to reduce our impact on the environment while engaging consumers to take action. This packaging and labeling initiative should make our industry more transparent and give consumers the information they need to make smart buying decisions."
 In addition to increasing transparency with this initiative, Timberland is encouraging consumers to take action within their community. Examples of this call to action include:
- A reusable "take-in, take-out" bio-degradable waste bag to be used on the trail comes with each pair of outdoor performance shoes. Children's footwear includes tissue wrap that educates them about birds and animals in the woods.
- Footwear boxes that allow consumers to reuse and fill with donations, such as canned goods, first aid items or clothing, and send them to non-profit organizations as items are needed. Links on timberland.com will help consumers find local or national groups and then print shipping labels.
"Every day, we challenge ourselves to think of ways to improve our products, the way we manufacture them and how we can become better members of our community," said Swartz. "I believe this packaging and labeling initiative is another step in an industry-wide movement toward becoming more aware of what goes into the products we consume."
This is Timberland’s first major package redesign in five years. With a goal to make the packaging more contemporary and relevant to the values of the company, the designers recognized the opportunity to tell the story of the Timberland brand while minimizing its environmental footprint. Discontinuing the use of the environmentally-unfriendly heavy ink that produces the bright colors of its old boxes, the designers created new boxes that are restrained and richly textured.
Timberland also hopes its more environmentally-friendly packaging and open, transparent communications about our business practices will encourage other brands to consider how they operate – and communicate – their business.
The new packaging will be used for all footwear and apparel, while the nutritional label will initially appear on footwear only. There are plans to adapt the label for use on apparel in the future.
Hear Jeff Swartz speak at The International Corporate Citizenship Conference to be held March 26-28, 2006 in Orlando, FL at the Peabody Hotel. Click here for more information and to register.
| 
