To be honest, when I heard Gap Inc. was going to be speaking about "building a sustainable brand," I had my doubts - despite the Gap credit card in my wallet. My gut instincts were somewhere more closely aligned with the woman who questioned Gap Inc.'s ability to combine sustainable design and affordability for clothing at its lower-priced Old Navy stores. (The answer to that is prioritizing by starting with organic baby products and upholding the same ethical sourcing codes as its other brands.)

When I browse the sale racks at Gap, for example, I'm usually trying to stymie thoughts about how much energy, water, and pesticide went into the production of that trendy little green dress. However, to assume that environmental and social responsibility isn't in style at Gap Inc. would be way off the mark. Just because the company isn't shouting "eco" from the rooftops -- as too many others are quick to do -- doesn't mean the Gap team isn't working on it.

"Our story's not perfect. It's not over," Kindley Walsh Lawlor, senior director of social responsibility at Gap Inc., said. "It's nice we had organic men's tees in 2007.  It's not the first time we did [something like this]. We're quiet. We just haven't talked about it."

Machine (Green)wash: Avoiding the Spin Cycle

At a time when the majority of products marketed as "green" bear the scarlet letter of greenwash, Gap Inc.'s cautious approach to touting its own sustainability mildly mollified my initial doubts. So, what is it doing right in this realm? And why keep mum about it?

For starters, it's managing to keep company morals aligned across four distinct brands with four sets of customers: Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Piperlime (an online shoe store). Expanding the definition of sustainability, its corporate morals focus on ethical sourcing (a code for global vendors was implemented in 1996), community investment, and the environment, which, naturally, uses the acronym "ECO" to outline its own areas of emphasis.

E: Energy conservation, e.g., efficient lighting in stores, a 1 MW solar array at one distribution center

C: Cotton/sustainable product design, e.g., alternative fibers, improved dye processes

O: Output/waste reduction, e.g., cutting back wastewater in manufacturing

The wastewater issue is an excellent example of a key sustainability initiative not yet communicated to customers. Back in 2004, Gap Inc. launched a clean water program to raise the standards for discharges from its denim laundry facility. Even now, its brands team is brainstorming how to tell customers about these kinds of initiatives. Is it in the form of a label sewn onto that pair of skinny jeans? Or maybe educational signs next to store racks awash with waves of denim?

Keepin' It Under Control

Plenty of companies examine product impacts with the help of life-cycle assessments, which are high level environmental inspections of a product from raw materials and production to customer use and disposal. While it'd sure be swell to have power over the whole process, Gap's strategy deals with what falls under its direct control, such as packaging and store/facility construction and operation. But don't overlook the spheres your brand can still influence, if not control. Gap Inc. won't be doing its customers' laundry (wouldn't that be nice though?), but it can help them decide how to do it via the washing instructions printed on clothing labels. It's as simple as recommending an energy-saving cold water wash over a chemical-heavy dry cleaning.

"Sustainable design [offers us] the opportunity to think more creatively about what we're doing, whether it's related to the environment or anywhere else," Monica Oberkofler, Gap Inc. Director of Social Responsibility, said. "Our brands have a unique opportunity to define what sustainable design means to them and their customers.  We want to inspire them with the opportunities of sustainable design."

More environmentally friendly dyes. Organic cotton. Organic soy blends. Bamboo blends. By moving toward these greener measures, Gap Inc. is eager to position itself authentically and show that sustainable design is a "natural evolution" for the company. But alas, evolution is best known for moving on geologic timelines (read: really, really slowly): a tank top in Banana Republic's new "Green Collection" only boasts 5% soy silk, which is probably more akin to Neanderthals than Homo sapiens.

Gap Inc.'s holistic approach to sustainability is valuable, but its clothing represents the main interaction with the customer and 5% effort will impress few. This is why a clear and careful approach to communication about green practices is so imperative.

Knowing When to Spill the Greens

As a company that sells products, knowing the customer is paramount to making intelligent branding decisions. Cause market research from Cone Inc. revealed that not only is the typical customer more interested in buying and even paying more for a product linked to a positive cause like the environment (second only to healthcare issues), but "today's customer is the savviest in history." The customer is perceptive and critical, commanding, "Don't just tell me, show me and let me determine what is real and then I can tell others."

Banana Republic's sustainability model, an "ongoing and unending" effort, is aiming to take this to heart. It starts with the products and the packaging and how they're branded (recycled content? recyclable materials?). Branding communication needs to be honest and transparent but not overstated (to avoid greenwashing). Extending from community and employee engagement to straightforward and accessible business practices, successful green branding is simple, authentic, and consistent with the company it's representing.

For Gap Inc., this means balancing how much "green" information to throw at the customer without confusing or turning them off while also sticking to its genuine "city style," which matched well with its Earth Day partnership with an urban park conservancy.

No, most brands won't be able to green all of their products overnight. But with steps that are steady, and vision that is clear, the evolution of sustainability will gain speed. These are the messages that Gap is learning to tell, which along with its sustainable practices, will never go out of style.

~Ashley Braun, Grist.org