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Outdoor retailer REI retrofitted its Seattle data center, resulting in a 93 percent reduction in the cooling energy used

U.S. federal authorities recently executed search warrants at two Virginia facilities belonging to Lumber Liquidators Holdings, the largest specialty retailer of hardwood flooring in the United States.

The Consumer Goods Forum ("CGF") today announced publication of the first-ever 'Sustainable Palm Oil Sourcing Guidelines' (the "Guidelines"). This publicly available document is an important step in helping the consumer goods and retail industries to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020, as outlined in the CGF's Deforestation Resolution. 

Levi's is offering customers a 20% discount if they bring their old duds to the denim brand's retail locations for recycling -- even if the old clothes aren't Levi's brand. The take-back program is an attempt to further the company's "vision of a more circular economy or closed-loop system for our products," said sustainability chief Michael Kobori. 

The 30-Year Sweatshirt project aims to counter "built-in obsolescence among major fashion retailers" by offering apparel that's guaranteed to last at least three decades, says founder Tom Cridland. Investing in better materials and manufacturing also allows shoppers to avoid the ethical problems that come with cheap, disposable fashion, Cridland says. 

Recycling clothes is hard, thanks to mixed materials used to make them and the poor quality of recycled cotton. That's why fast fashion retailer H&M is now offering an annual $1 million prize for winners who can come up with better ways to recycle what we wear.

IKEA, the world's biggest furniture retailer, plans to spend 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) on renewable energy and steps to help poor nations cope with climate change, the latest example of firms upstaging governments in efforts to slow warming.

Consumers want green products, and they're willing to boycott brands that fail to deliver them, writes Bridget James. "Consumers, enabled by information, are becoming the regulatory body of the market, and their new values are driving green growth globally," she asserts

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) has announced that its membership has overwhelmingly approved global Principles and Criteria for defining sustainable beef and beef production practices. More than 96 percent of the GRSB General Assembly members voted in favor of the definition, principles and criteria. Every one of the five constituencies - producer, commerce, processing, retail and roundtables - voted to approve the definition.

Consumers often are left unaware of the use and destination of their recyclables. Although many are donated, much of the material is sold to for-profit companies for resale around the globe. The lack of transparency has led to misunderstanding among consumers, communities and retailers. This push toward greater transparency is yet another reason to embrace The Reuse Movement.

IKEA achieved its goal to source 100% of its cotton from sustainable farmers that use less water, less chemical fertilizers, and pesticides. As a result, IKEA has become the first major retailer to achieve this goal across all product categories.

The Christmas gifts have been delivered, and Secret Santa is done. Now, the work begins for Optoro, a start-up company that aims to reduce the financial and environmental costs of another great holiday tradition: returns. Little known to shoppers, however, is that a majority of returned items never make it back to retailers' shelves. Instead, the items wind their way through liquidators, wholesalers and resellers, many of the purchases ending up in landfills. According to some estimates, as much as two million tons of returned items - most of it undamaged merchandise - are thrown away each year, enough to fill over 200,000 garbage trucks.

The North Face today announced its Fall 2016 line, including more than 500 down product styles that feature certified responsible down through the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). Officially launched in January 2014, the RDS is the most comprehensive, global, third-party certified animal welfare and traceability standard for down and feathers available for use by any company. The North Face initially committed to include 100 percent certified responsible down in all retail and wholesale down products by Fall 2017, and was able to achieve the increase a year sooner than anticipated. 

After prioritizing their own strategies for years, the giant retailers are advocating industry-driven leadership group for sustainable cosmetics and personal care products. 

Bed Bath & Beyond, Nordstrom, J.C. Penney and Backcountry.com have been accused of "bamboozling" shoppers by selling products purportedly made of eco-friendly bamboo, but that in fact were made of other, less sustainable materials. "False 'bamboo' claims are a significant problem for consumers who care about buying environmentally friendly products," said Federal Trade Commission attorney Korin Felix

Millions of trees are disappearing every year into the clothing on our backs. They're being felled to manufacture dissolving pulp, a key ingredient for fabrics such as rayon/viscose, modal and lyocell. Even worse, much of that pulp is wasted. That revelation was the impetus behind an apparel industry campaign created both to raise awareness of this issue and to nip it in the bud. More than two dozen fashion and apparel companies - including retailers and producers - are involved with the "Fashion Loved by Forest" initiative. They include Eileen Fisher, H&M, Levi Strauss, Lululemon Athletica, Marks & Spencer, Patagonia and Prana.

A Global Commitment to eradicate plastic waste and pollution at the source has been signed by 250 organisations including many of the world's largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as governments and NGOs.

More than 4,800 fuel-cell electric vehicles were registered in California as of May, and 36 retail stations were open to the public with 28 more funded, according to a California Air Resources Board report released July 31. An estimated 47,000 fuel-cell electric vehicles are expected to be on the roads by 2024.

C&A is the world's first retailer to offer jeans that are completely Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM at the Gold level. Designed in partnership with Fashion for Good, a global platform that aims to make all fashion good, the jeans were made with completely sustainable materials and were produced in compliance with the high Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM Gold level.

Fifty of the world's largest businesses, retailers and fishing companies from across the tuna supply chain have banded together to stamp out illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in their industry, protect the health of oceans and eliminate forced labor from fishing vessels. The agreement was brokered by the World Economic Forum and is supported by policymakers and 18 civil society organizations.