SanMar’s 6 Strategies for Greater Sustainability in 2021

Start by publishing a baseline and a concrete 12-month action plan. Conduct a baseline assessment of energy, water, waste, and supplier practices across the supplies network. Release a plan for 2021 that everybody can access, and form cross‑functional teams with managers from procurement, operations, and sales to drive projects, maintain momentum, and care for workers at every step of the supply chain. This approach translates years of experience into measurable targets and keeps the focus on practical outcomes.

Strategy 1: Target energy efficiency in facilities and logistics. Upgrade lighting and HVAC in 18 distribution centers, install smart meters, and optimize scheduling. In the past three years this reduced energy intensity by 18% and cut annual costs by about $3.2 million. In 2021, assign a dedicated energy champions group within each site and report progress through monthly dashboards accessible to managers and field teams.

Strategy 2: Transform packaging and materials. Shift to 100% recyclable packaging where possible, increase recycled content to 60% in new shipments, and prioritize FSC‑certified paper. Use lighter packaging to reduce shipments by 8% and waste by 12% annually. Document results in a white paper and add an addition to supplier specs to codify expectations, helping everybody understand the standards and supporting the release to stakeholders.

Strategy 3: Deepen supplier engagement with inclusion in mind. Build a supplier charter that requires fair labor practices, transparent wage systems, and access to training. In 2020–2021, inclusion criteria shaped 40% of supplier evaluations; the goal for 2021 is 60%. Run joint improvement projects with supplies, share best practices, and support small businesses through a foundation program that promotes cleaner processes across the network.

Strategy 4: Strengthen data, reporting, and services collaboration. Implement a centralized data platform that captures energy, water, waste, and sales metrics. Produce monthly scorecards for managers and a public dashboard for customers and partners. This transparency must be backed by governance and a clear accountability framework, helping teams adjust actions quickly, align on service levels, and maintain trust with year over year results.

Strategy 5: Build circularity and take‑back programs. Launch returns and refurbishment pilots for common product lines, refurbishing items to extend life across many years of use. Work with recycling partners to reprocess textiles and packaging, reducing landfill contributions by 15% in the year. Engage care teams and customers to streamline returns, and track those gains in your overall sustainability score.

Strategy 6: Invest in people, inclusion, and community services. Create volunteer days, training on sustainability basics, and robust onboarding for new hires. Link performance to sustainability targets in sales and operations, and ensure managers have the tools to guide teams. Since inception, these programs have helped build a resilient culture and a strong foundation for long-term progress across the organization.

Supplier Collaboration to Lower Freight Emissions (2021)

Launch a six-month supplier freight collaboration pilot to cut emissions by 15% vs baseline, measured as grams CO2 per ton-mile. Take this action today by aligning shirts suppliers, the distributor, and internal teams on a shared plan and using a common set of systems to track progress and outcomes. The effort should establish a clear point of accountability and a path to repeatable gains with every shipment.

To make it work, form a cross-functional team that worked across departments from day one. Share data on mode, weight, distance, and returns to enable transparent progress. This friendly collaboration supports faster decisions and enables smoother handoffs across teams, improving customer journeys by reducing back-and-forth moves. The main factors are data quality, packaging optimization, employee training, and market dynamics. The team uses predictive analytics and test-based learning to identify opportunities before shipments depart and adjust plans to use more efficient routes. The pilot made visible a 14–18% reduction in emissions when shipments were consolidated and waste was minimized.

Key enablers include a simple communications protocol, a shared analytics dashboard, and a commitment to test new solutions rather than wait for perfect data. Challenges such as a backlog of orders and resistance to change can be overcome by setting small milestones, clarifying ownership, and demonstrating early wins. This work improves waste handling, reduces the number of moves, and creates opportunity for returns optimization and better market delivery. By supporting supplier partners and employees with training and clear standards, the effort becomes scalable and sustainable.

Key Actions and Metrics

Implementation Roadmap

1) Select three distributor partners and six supplier facilities for the next quarter; establish baseline emissions, waste, and returns. 2) Deploy a lightweight data-sharing system that captures shipments, modes, tonnage, backlog, and journeys. 3) Run a 90-day test of consolidated shipments and intermodal switching, then review results with a friendly, cross-functional team. 4) Scale successful actions by updating packaging standards, routing rules, and labeling to reproduce gains across markets and improve our returns handling.

Adopting Recycled and Recyclable Materials in Product Design (2021)

Specify recycled content for core components and design for end-of-life recyclability. This concrete step reduces virgin material use and communicates eco-friendly choices to users. Set an initially defined target to replace 30% of fabric content with recycled fibers and to use gimelli recycled materials in accessories, then scale to 50%, and paid attention to supplier consistency will help complete orders and keep users satisfied.

Looking to scale impact, teams should anchor decisions in clear principles that balance cost, performance, and recyclability. Select high-quality recycled fibers and post-consumer plastics that meet wear, wash, and colorfastness requirements, ensuring added durability for the project. The role of recycled inputs must be present in every product package, from fabric to trim, to keep orders traceable through the lifecycle. Build a program with metrics: supplier audits, recycled-content targets, and end-of-life return rates; data helps the market și marketing teams tell a credible story here online. Initially, publish a material passport and an eco-friendly label for customers who wanted transparent sourcing and good experience. This creates an exciting, driving narrative for users, while the performance remains strong and the program grows in the online market. The team must monitor supplier performance and adjust specifications to maintain high-quality outcomes, and the result is a satisfied base of users and repeat complete orders.

Energy-Saving Upgrades Across Facilities (2021)

Implement LED lighting retrofits across all facilities by Q3 2021 to reduce lighting energy use by 25-40%. Pair with occupancy sensors in low-traffic spaces to minimize waste when areas are unused. This concrete action lets working teams move fast, while procurement handles the purchase of fixtures and controls, and your maintenance staff coordinates installation within current schedules.

Extend savings with HVAC optimization: install variable frequency drives on fans and pumps, tighten ducts, seal envelopes, and set seasonal temperature targets that protect product quality while cutting energy use. Within manufacturing zones, program setback periods outside production hours and ensure commissioning tests verify performance. These steps apply where physical processes demand steady climate control, including apparel and textile areas.

Adopt a data-driven approach to track progress. Install sub-metering by building zone and monitor analytics dashboards that show baseline consumption versus post-upgrade results. Share meaningful information with individuals across maintenance, operations, and finance to validate payback and guide future upgrades. These metrics keep projects accountable and help demonstrate impact to customers who value responsible sourcing and transparency.

Roll out in stages with clear ownership. Create a 12‑month plan that assigns an energy champion at each site and provides concise training on controls, inspection routines, and vendor coordination. Use knapick for smart controls hardware where appropriate and establish a simple review cadence to keep the program on track. These actions, supported by quick wins and systematic tracking, drive sustained reductions within apparel and textile facilities and throughout the network.

Packaging Redesign and Waste Reduction Initiatives (2021)

Begin with a packaging redesign that reduces total package weight by 25% and raises recycled content to 40% within 12 months, supported by a data-driven plan from managers and workers. The knapick platform tracks material inputs, SKU changes, and waste outputs, ensuring the impact is measurable. This effort aligns with the environmental goals that individuals across facilities can sustain, and it creates a clear content reference for suppliers and customers alike.

Across multiple product families, redesign rules out excess void fill and replaces virgin paper with 100% recycled fiber where suppliers permit. In trials, waste per unit declined 20–30%, and overall waste handling costs dropped 8–12% after the first release. Most packaging now uses standard dimensions, simplifying repacking and transport routing in operating facilities. Within most SKUs, standardized packaging reduces waste and streamlines inbound shipments.

With the release of redesigned packaging, the content messaging clarifies materials, disposal steps, and return options for customers. Teams of individuals and workers train with concise job aids in apps, while managers monitor progress and collect feedback. The commitment to a fair workload helps avoid bottlenecks and keeps projects moving behind schedule. The environmental benefits resonate with customers and tighten financial gains for the business.

Metrics and Roles

Key metrics include waste per unit, packaging weight, recycled content percentage, and cost per shipment. The manager leads a cross-functional team with input from multiple sites; workers provide hands-on data from the floor. The knapick app collects data from releases and daily operations, delivering a real-time picture to most stakeholders and supporting decision-making. Individuals in sourcing, operations, and logistics can see impact and adjust plans quickly.

Implementation and Support

Roll out starts with a 3-phase pilot: one category, two regions, and a 6-week review. Following a successful pilot, scale to most product families within the next two quarters. Finance partners review the financial impact and confirm a positive return within the planned horizon. Training sessions, playbooks, and on-site coaching support workers and managers as they adapt. The knapick dashboard highlights the largest waste sources, enabling targeted fixes and a clearly actionable content for teams.

2022 Standout: Greater Transparency, Data Quality, and Public Reporting

Adopt a centralized data quality program across all apps and supplier data, because consistent, validated data drives credible public reporting and lowers risk in inventory planning. Set a target of 98–99% data accuracy within 12 months and publish quarterly performance on a public dashboard customers and auditors can access. Backed by a cross-functional team, this approach must align with the board’s requests and Joanne’s feedback, offering clear paths to accountability across years, and we are committed to delivering development.

Structure governance by category with clear owners, including a yarn category lead, and link each owner to distributor partners and factories. Map core factors such as category, supplier, origin, lead time, inventory level, and certification status, and use a living data dictionary to reduce back-and-forth when new apps enter the workflow. When data gaps appear, automated checks trigger escalation so teams act quickly.

Public reporting framework and governance

Publish a quarterly public report that covers category performance, including yarn and other fabrics, showing inventory turnover, shortages, and the shift in supplier mix. Use visuals to decorate the dashboard with accessible charts and color codes; for example lava-red risk flags for items with high supply risk, plus simple trend lines readers can validate. The board will see increased transparency, and Joanne will reference these data in planning conversations.

The reporting process should start with procurement data but expand to downstream indicators such as sustainable sourcing milestones and development progress. Public reports should be updated on a fixed schedule and respond to ongoing requests from customers and partners, ensuring that the category, including yarn, remains the main lens for progress.

2022 Standout: Strengthened Supplier Audits, Governance, and Stakeholder Engagement

Adopt a quarterly audit cadence that has been refined to integrate supplier risk assessments, governance checks, and direct stakeholder interviews to improve production performance.

These actions are distilled from what worked in 2021 and looking ahead toward steady gains, helping determine how to plan toward higher reliability while keeping the organization focused on practical steps.

• Strengthened supplier audits
  • Segment factories by risk and test high-risk suppliers with on-site audits at least twice per year, while maintaining a large portfolio of factories through remote verification for others.
  • Audit coverage rose with rising risk profiles, and corrective actions are tracked to determine whether targets are met; if targets couldnt be met on time, escalation occurs.
  • Use a simple, portable evidence pack to document findings at the port of entry, ensuring information is ready for governance reviews and stakeholder updates.
  • Audit insights are distilled into additional improvements that keep the organization aligned with what matters and drive a measurable boost in performance.
• Governance enhancements
  • Establish a cross-functional governance council with clear decision rights on supplier retention, remediation timelines, and budget for corrective actions; this often makes accountability explicit across the organization.
  • Codify a supplier code of conduct and align it with procurement policy, using transparent escalation timelines to reduce risk and support informed decisions on whether to continue partnerships.
  • Publish simple dashboards that track plan progress and determine whether suppliers want to invest in sustained improvements, creating a friendly, data-driven dialogue with factories.
  • Define an escalation protocol and a regular review rhythm so leadership can test what worked and adjust priorities accordingly.
• Stakeholder engagement
  • Engage workers, communities, customers, and investors through anonymous surveys and direct conversations; looking to determine needs and expectations, and distill feedback into actionable items for factories.
  • Maintain friendly, transparent communication by sharing progress, challenges, and additional context that helps determine whether commitments will be met and what wants stay aligned with values.
  • Address challenges openly, including language and capacity constraints, and identify what worked well to reduce friction while advancing production improvements.
  • Look for opportunities to improve collaboration across the supply chain and ensure stakeholders see a clear path forward, whether through joint action plans or shared metrics.

In 2022, these steps demonstrated that stronger audits, clearer governance, and proactive stakeholder engagement can reduce risk, improve performance, and support scalable growth for factories and partners alike.