The development of a sustainability strategy is not an easy undertaking – because behind it hides a highly complex system that takes up ecological, social and economic aspects. As fashion companies become more interested in their own sustainability strategies, more and more of them are looking for partners who can share their views and create sustainable solutions with them. Pioneering sustainable change in the label and hangtag industry, ITL Group, the market leader in smart label solutions, is constantly looking for new ways to improve its sustainable products and services. Jimmy Christopher, Head of Sustainability at ITL Group, recognizes the importance of continually reviewing supply chain processes and practices and always looking for improvement. When he joined the team just over three years ago, he was tasked with developing the company’s sustainability strategy. Since then, he has helped oversee the implementation of new working practices designed to minimize ITL Group’s environmental impact. With this in mind, he has also set new goals for the company. We sat down with Jimmy to learn more about ITL’s vision for sustainability. In this interview he explains the working methods, the strategies and the future vision of the ITL Group.
What were the first steps you took in developing the ITL sustainability strategy?
“The first step I took was to conduct an industry standard investigation. The main focus was what is important for our customers. We took a closer look at what matters in supply chains and what matters for large-scale implementation, also considering climate change. I have set myself ambitious environmental and social goals that are important to ITL and me. Supply chains are still complex systems in which a lot is worked with materials – be it raw material or waste that arises after processing. So we took a closer look at what we use to make our labels and what happens to them after use.
In the next step, we created a vision board in which we focused on three core topics: environmental responsibility, livelihood and well-being of employees, and circular economy. For these core issues, we have defined additional areas that we want to address. Under environmental stewardship we grouped water, climate change and energy, and chemicals – we grouped these issues together because for us as a company they are interconnected. Under the well-being of our employees, we have summarized equality, a fair and safe working environment and diversity. As a company founded in South Africa, this was particularly important to us. Under Circular Economy we have listed our raw materials, i.e. the materials we use, and material waste in order to develop as many circular processes as possible.
We have developed a strategy that is as holistic as possible – you can’t look at sustainability in individual areas, you have to see the big picture. Sustainability is a system in which all individual components are interdependent – from an ecological, social and economic point of view. It is not always possible to tackle everything at once, but it is important to understand that everything is connected.
Why is a transparent way of working so important for ITL?
Transparency and traceability are important to us because our sustainability strategy is scientifically based. We want to ensure that our customers can make sustainability claims that are scientifically proven and substantiated. From the very beginning, we have made sure that our communication is scientifically sound. The transparency of our actions is of crucial importance. For example, in our very first sustainability report, we disclose our carbon footprint and our certifications related to our social practices. We are transparent about chemical use and climate impact because it is the right thing to do.
We are convinced that a partnership relationship with our customers is the best approach and brings a greater impact. Our certifications give our customers peace of mind and ensure they can trust us and our supply chains. We also screen all of our suppliers, which can be multiple tiers within a clothing brand, so we leave no stone unturned in our traceability approach.”
How does ITL introduce more sustainable methods into its products and processes?
“One of the first things I set up at ITL was a technical product forum, with a focus on developing more sustainable products. Based on industry research, I examined what new types of materials are on the market. Materials science of great importance to product development at ITL, as well as analyzing the entire product cycle. We need to understand what happens to the garments after use – from landfills to recycling and take-back systems. We then try to find the best solution.
We also look at things from a digital perspective – for example using QR codes to support the circular economy and traceability. These areas have changed a lot, especially in the last few years – we have also made a whole series of changes in the last three years. Every few months we review the available materials and run as many trials as possible. Polyester currently makes up around 50% of all clothing worldwide, but it’s not from a renewable resource. Therefore, when manufacturing labels, we focus on using more renewable and recycled materials, such as: B. Organic cotton and recycled fibers as it is important for us to be at the forefront of the latest materials. We are constantly trying to improve and switch our materials to the best possible options.
The fact that we have an experienced team on site has also helped improve our processes. We own all of our factories, which gives us total control and insight into what’s happening. For example, we hear from our employees every day what is happening on a social and ecological level. Because we own our operations, we can continuously put resources where we need them and make changes from the ground up. We’ve made sure we’re hiring people with the right skills, which helps drive change and improve our reporting. Sustainability is very data-driven, and if we don’t analyze these things properly, then we can’t improve them. If we don’t evaluate our results, how can we know if we’re getting better or not?
How does ITL work with its customers to offer them more sustainable products and solutions?
“Some of our clients see sustainability as a necessity, while we help others with our expertise. One of the most important things we do when we meet with clients is to emphasize that there are two sides to our understanding of sustainability. On the one hand, it is about making better products for our customers in terms of materials and developing sustainability in this process. We can help customers switch to alternative materials that use less water, less energy and carbon, and fewer chemicals. Ditto on the social side: better ways of working that align with our policies allow us to offer our customers more sustainable options.
On the other hand, it is about making sustainability accessible to everyone. One way is our design software intelligen™. We know that the cost factor is decisive for the decisions of our customers. Therefore, we often propose new designs for labels and hangtags that save costs and are more sustainable. Then customers can benefit from cost savings, for example by switching from conventional materials to more sustainable alternatives. One of our goals is to introduce recycled and renewable materials in our main labels and certified fibers in our paper labels.
How will ITL’s sustainability strategy develop over the next few years?
After we have become aware of where we are and where we want to be, we turn our attention to realizing our goals. We attach great importance to achieving our goals – with a top-down and bottom-up approach we make it easier for us to implement systems and goal-oriented initiatives. Management is very supportive and understands that we need to invest in sustainability if we want to be the best. We have the support of people who understand that what we do is good for business and the environment in the long term.
Furthermore, being able to adapt to change is a long-term goal. Things will always change, there will be a lot more investment in different technologies and sectors in the textile industry that may not be commercially available at the moment. Nevertheless, we want to keep an overview and be ready to react to the change as quickly as possible. One of our key strengths is our nimbleness – ITL wants to remain aware of all changes and to achieve our goals for 2025 and 2030, while already setting even more ambitious targets where possible.”
