Here is a selection of features from Attire Accessories magazine.
A new study has revealed that the majority of senior executives in the fashion industry are committed to abolishing plastic. A new study with 100 senior executives who work for fashion brands and retailers in the UK, US and Australia, by Aquapak Polymers Ltd, which specialises in polymer-based material technologies that can deliver both performance and environmental responsibility at scale, reveals that the majority (88 percent) plan to stop plastic in packaging altogether.
Martin McTague, National Chair, the Federation of Small Businesses, shares how we need to think more broadly about innovation policy to capture the full economic potential. To many, the term "innovation" is usually associated with big names such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. But, in reality, the development and use of new ideas and technology is not confined to the tech industry. We need to think more broadly about innovation policy to capture the full economic potential. A new report by the Federation of Small Businesses – titled The Tech Tonic – found that across all sectors, seven in ten (69 percent) small firms have introduced a new form of innovation in the last three years. This includes the development of an entirely new product(s) to their market (25 percent), significantly improved existing or new product(s) (38 percent), and better staff and customer experience (25 percent).
Jerome Pugh, Founder of Academie, champions French sustainable fashion brands. Here, he gives an insight into the company's journey. When did you start up and why? We started the business 10 years ago after a number of family holidays to Brittany when we used to buy our children traditional Breton stripey tops. That year we couldn't go but still wanted to treat them, however, we couldn't find the real thing over here. We thought that this must be an opportunity and within six months we had met and were working with a traditional Breton clothing company called Mousqueton.
Sherwen Studios commissioned research data and analytics group YouGov to survey more than 2,000 UK adults about their thoughts and opinions relating to subscription commerce. Here's some of their findings. Retail subscriptions are continuing to soar in popularity, as UK shoppers take advantage of subscription boxes that promise value for money, as well as the opportunity to try new products. But the very nature of flexible subscriptions mean that customers could choose to cancel at a moment's notice.
A new survey by the GCVA has revealed that reward-based incentives are key to customer loyalty in a cost-of-living crisis. Research reveals two in five (40 percent) UK consumers would be more loyal to a retailer that offered modest rewards or incentives, such as a £50 gift card, as people continue to seek ways to reduce the impact of the cost of living crisis. The survey of more than 1,000 UK adults, commissioned by the Gift Card and Voucher Association (GCVA), found that just under half of households are worse off than they were this time last year, with 12 percent experiencing a significant impact on their personal finances. As a result, people are looking for more ways to earn and save.
Leading experiential learning company,Impact, gives an insight into the benefits of workplace diversity. FTSE 350 businesses are paying more attention to diversity amongst their senior team candidates than ever before. The percentage of seats filled by ethnically diverse directors has risen to 22 percent. When it comes to gender balance, it has been found that 54 percent of new board seats have been taken by women, showing that companies are moving in the right direction. But why is workplace diversity becoming such a priority? One of the most obvious benefits is that organisations can gain precious insight from people with varied backgrounds and experiences. Impact, a world-leading expert in experiential learning, looks at ways in which diversity can enhance a business's operations and how it can be implemented effectively.
Matt Hildon, Retail Portfolio Director at global digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta, looks at what 2024 will have in store for the retail sector. Loyalty schemes will become the differentiator for retailers in 2024. Budgets will be increasingly focused on getting people into their loyalty ecosystems, which will in turn see brands start to focus their spend on retention of customers via highly personalised offers, rather than spending advertising money often at a high CPA.
Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, looks at howstartups are a powerful catalyst for economic growth. The term start-ups can be traced back to the late 1990s, when the early tech wave swept across the globe. These small businesses, filled with massive potential, include now-giants like Amazon, Disney, and Google. All these companies started small, in a climate where taking risks and dreaming big were the rule, not the exception. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has guided small businesses through the toughest of times, from the Covid-19 pandemic and now, the cost of living crisis. Still, it was them who took the wheel during our rebound from the economic recession of 2008. And nine out of 10 people who found their way back from unemployment did so either by rolling up their sleeves at a small fi rm or by charting their own course, through a start-up. The latest Small Business Index (SBI) shows a 5.5 percent growth aspiration increase from Q1 to 51.3% in Q2. FSB's message to policymakers is clear: think small first, encourage start-ups and back the 99% of business population on which our recovery will depend.
How can UK businesses adapt to the lack of warehouse space? Slingsby Group Chief Executive, Morgan Morris, tells us more... The number of business premises used for warehousing and logistics has almost doubled in the last decade, according to the Office for National Statistics. This has been largely driven by the massive increase in e-commerce and online retailers such as Amazon – a company that accounts for a quarter of all warehousing space in the UK. In late 2021, property agent Cushman & Wakefield predicted that the UK could run out of warehousing space within a year. Over 12 months later, demand continues to be at an all-time high, with vacancy rates having been sat at less than 2 percent for the past year. This is way below the rate needed to balance fluctuations between supply and demand, which is 8 percent.
Leaving a successful banking career, Founder and Designer Martha Lizarazo, decided to follow her childhood passion and launch the successful Caliz London. When did you start up and why? I started my business in 2014 when I decided to give up my corporate banking career to do something more creative and meaningful – my true passion! For as long as I remember I have always loved fashion design. During my childhood, I designed my own earrings made from telephone wire and sold them to my school friends for pocket money. I would also design and make jewellery for my work colleagues, family and friends. Designing and creating is something that is an innate part of me and I always knew that I would eventually pursue this path.