Blog #3: Loggit

Since my last post, I have focused mainly on wrapping up my list of recycling industry players in Europe and also on my report for the Field Study course, based on the earlier report I compiled regarding reusable e-commerce packaging.

One interesting thing I discovered is that even over the course of this very short (relatively speaking) period, there has been movement in the industry. For example, one of the industry examples I included in my original packaging report has since completely revamped its product line, shifting from a Reuse-as-a-Service model -- where the operator essentially collects and cleans the packaging before redistributing it to client retailers -- from simply selling the physical reusable mailers, no other services included. Another has shifted its focus from reusable mailers to specifically cardboard packaging for electronics trade-ins, like when consumers send in old iPhones to Apple in return for credit on new ones, while placing a greater focus on value-add services like better tracking.

This shift demonstrates just how fluid this sector is. Because it is still so new and so undeveloped, players are still experimenting with different business models and products, and the competitive environment is evolving from day to day. Many players also do not make it. One player cited in many recent-ish white papers and consultancy reports had gone bankrupt last year, despite being considered one of the leading names in the field.

On a personal note, this internship has allowed me to think more about sustainability, including in the fashion industry, from a slightly different lens - that of logistics and packaging, compared with the product itself. It really demonstrated to me that true, meaningful sustainability requires change not just within individual companies but in the greater business environment that spans across the supply chains and includes customers as well.