The US Polo Association Global Licensing team has been working feverishly this first half of the year in partnership with the 4Ocean team on a project that has so far removed 150,000 pounds of trash from the world’s oceans.
That’s more than double the amount it recovered in 2022 and a badge it wears proudly as it continues its efforts to reduce its environmental impact and increase its nature positive approach to business and business operations.
That’s all being led, by the way, by Jessica Lenhart, director of sustainability at USPA Global Licensing and US Fashion Ambassador for the Products of Change global community. Within her day-time role, Jessica is working to build a cohesive, global sustainability programme that aims to meet the brand’s global licensees ‘where they are on their journeys’, while simultaneously launching new programmes to support them to take those efforts further.
“Addressing sustainability in the apparel industry is challenging, complex, and ever-changing. And when you add the licensing model into the mix, it becomes even more so,” she tells Products of Change. “But there is a real excitement for sustainability both here in the US at our headquarters and globally with our partners.”
Last month, USPA Global Licensing revealed that US Polo Assn shattered the $2bn milestone by delivering a record $2.3bn in global retail sales. And with over 1,100 US Polo Assn retail stores, and thousands of wholesale locations spanning department stores, sporting goods channels, and independent retailers across 190 countries, the global licensed sports brand ranks as one of the largest in the world, ranking in the top five alongside the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
With that, it carries an enormous amount of influence over the sustainability of the operations and activities its licensing and supply chain partners work towards.
“The reception to our programmes by staff and licensing partners has been very positive,” says Jessica. “In a world overflowing with information, it can be overwhelming figuring out where to start on your sustainability journey and my aim is to be a source of support and guidance.
“We’ve officially launched two initiatives under our USPA Life sustainability with a handful of others in the works.”
The USPA Life Sustainability programme launched in 2021with a strong of significant global product initiatives, including the introduction of eco-friendly materials for use as branded hangtags on clothing, polo shirts and apparel made from high-quality recycled yarns and Better Cotton Initiative sustainable cotton, as well as redesigned packaging made from recycled materials.
Part of Jessica’s role within the world of sustainability is acting as Products of Change Ambassador for Fashion in the US market. Through this position, Jessica is helping to deliver the conversation of positive, sustainable change to industry and consumer, while offering keen insight into the market and its developing relationship with the subject matter.
“Products of Change is a small but mighty organisation that is really showing up across the US,” says Jessica. “It feels like the sustainability in licensing conversation has finally arrived in full force and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
“For the fashion industry on a global scale, I think transparency and data integrity are today’s hurdles. Greenwashing laws are popping up everywhere and sustainability teams are being challenged to get our facts straight.
“But the amount of data that has been collected over the last decade or so is now having its moment of reckoning – can we push what we’ve learned out to consumers in an honest, but not diluted way? Perfection is the enemy of progress and I think we need to be honest with where we are as an industry so that we can work together to keep moving forward.”
In terms of what that looks like for the USPA Global Licensing team, plenty of effort has gone into the launch of its Responsible Sourcing Standard and its new Preferred Materials Use Policy, alongside a host of other initiatives with communication strategies in the works.
“We’re trying to figure out how we communicate that work in a way that informs, excites, but also shows our path forward. Finding our voice in sustainability is a fun challenge,” says Jessica. “There has been so much happening in the background for USPA Life for many years. We’ve been working hard to build a strong foundation for our programme before we start shouting but we can’t wait to shout about it all – soon.
“For now, though, we are incredibly proud of our 4Ocean partnership and everything we are doing with them to protect the world’s oceans.”
