NO MORE PLASTIC: Burberry is moving to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025, according to a new report published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a charity that aims to drive brands’ transition to a circular economy.

The report, New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, reveals that companies and the government are working together to stop plastic waste and pollution.

The luxury brand said that it will comply with guidelines stated in the report and aims to go beyond that. In 2004, Burberry has put sustainability at the core of the company’s mission and in 2017 launched its latest eco-strategy setting out environmentally responsible goals for the next five years.

Their target is to become carbon neutral, to re-value waste and to drive positive change through 100 percent of their product and positively impact people.

“We’re going to be doing that by driving demand for sustainable new materials, looking at things like well being, the environment and sustainability in the manufacturing industry in our supply chain,” said Pam Batty, vice president of corporate responsibility at Burberry.

Other companies committed to reducing their plastic packaging include Unilever, L’Oréal, Walmart Inc., Target and Carrefour, which are among the 150 signatories with combined revenues of $2 trillion and contributing 20 percent of the global volume of plastic packaging.

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By the end of the year, Burberry plans to replace all current hangers, shrouds and poly bags with an eco-friendly option. It will also launch a hanger take-back program that will see discarded retail hangers recycled and reused. Rain covers for shopping bags will be made from at least 30 percent bio-plastics and will be compostable by the end of 2019.

The luxury brand has said that by 2025 all of its plastic packaging will either be reusable, recyclable or compostable. So far, the company has eliminated plastic lamination from its retail bags and poly bags for garment covers, reducing the use of 29 tons of plastic.

The brand is currently exploring a number of bio-based alternatives to achieve these sustainability goals.

Burberry has said that they are on track to reach these goals. Not only have they partnered with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Burberry has also joined an initiative called Renewable Energy 100, a collaborative effort of more than 100 influential businesses committed to renewable energy consumption.

To send out the message, the brand has recently launched new packaging. They’ve created paper packaging using FSC certified virgin pulp and fiber from recycled coffee cups in partnership with CupCycling. According to Burberry, they’ve upcycled over 11 million cups.

“We’ve also got 40 percent recycled content in our new full ticket bags and paper products,” said Batty.

“I think that at the moment we’re quite confident. Joining forces with Ellen drives the demand for these types of materials and that’s a really important point to make. We’re internally expanding our work to cover our supply chain as well and we’ve got a number of initiatives that we are working on,” she added.

Burberry has been working hard to become environmentally responsible. In September last year, the brand has decided to stop using real fur and to end its practice of destroying unsalable products and excess inventory.

Like many other luxury brands, Burberry destroyed its products to protect their brand from the counterfeiters and becoming oversaturated with discounted goods. Their decision to cease this practice is part of their five-year responsibility agenda to tackle issues of waste.

With regards to fur, Burberry also confirmed that they will phase out existing products with fur and starting with Tisci’s first collection in September, the brand will create with faux fur only.