INDUSTRY; Consuming Responsible with King of Shaves and TopShop

Industry is changing. We imagine it bound up with the environmental concerns that look at the piles of plastic disposables, animal consumption and unsustainable production. For a long time, environment and industry have been at odds with one another. But some companies are looking to change this. They don’t see the two as inherently hostile to one another; rather, they are trying to approach industry with a new perspective.

King of Shaves has had it with single-use plastics. The leading independent men’s grooming company has made a company-wide pledge: plastic free by ‘23. To this end, they have established a new brand: Code Zero. Zero plastic, zero waste. Given that the cosmetics industry produces more than 120 billion units of packaging every year, and that nearly all of them end up in a landfill, this move is a massive step in the right direction – and King of Shaves is challenging the rest of the industry to follow suit.

The Code Zero range is designed with sustainability and the environment in mind. The range consists of products made from aluminium and cork and made to last a lifetime. Rather than discarding a shave stick after use, King of Shaves is planning to sell products which, when they’re finished, can be easily refilled. The refills will be sold in 100% recyclable and compostable packaging – maintaining ease of use and purchase but getting rid of the whole disposable part of industrial manufacture.

Their first product, the Code Zero Shave Stick, will be available exclusively (at a preferential price) via Indiegogo for early backers before being rolled out across retailers and online in the UK later this year. And as an illustrative example of King of Shaves’ new philosophy, this first product is expected to reduce plastic consumption by more than 15 tonnes every year.

This move is the first in a company-wide initiative by King of Shaves to go plastic free, without costing the consumer a premium in either cost or convenience. It’s part of a long-term strategy by the brand to move towards responsible consumption – and as an extra bonus, you won’t need to keep buying new products and piling up waste.

Topshop is moving in a different direction. They have introduced their first ever line of vegan shoes, released across selected stores in the UK, US, and Germany, as well as online. The range consists of six different styles, featuring a neutral palette of snakes, croc, nude, toffee, orange and black across 12 different options.

All of the (PETA-approved) shoes are made from 100% non-animal and non-fish materials – even the glue is completely vegan. Additionally, all of the different shoes will be packaged in boxes that are also 100% animal free – these are shoes made for the ethical consumer, who’s as interested in looking good as making sure what they wear is animal free.

Topshop is excitedly waiting to see how consumers will respond to their new direction – they want to see how far they ‘can push vegan products across our accessories offering’ and this new collection of shoes is a first step in an exciting new direction for the brand.

So if you’re looking for a more environmentally friendly and ethically conscious way to shop, King of Shaves and Topshop have opened two different doors. Whether it’s about cutting out animal products from your fashion statement or being less wasteful in your everyday grooming, industry is starting to move ever closer to the responsible consumption that our future demands.